


Turnabout Phantom Attorney

by sarahtoninsmile



Category: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, 逆転裁判 | Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: Alternate Universe, Beta Read, Blood and Violence, Car Accidents, Character Death, Complete, Ghost Trick AU, Grieving, Gun Violence, Original Character(s), basically a casefic, ghost trick phantom detective, i wanted this to feel/sound like the games if that helps, mild SOJ spoilers, mild references to ghost trick but mostly just based off the game mechanics and concept, phoenix and maya are bros, play ghost trick, plot OCs, post-SOJ, wait is it an au if they take place in the same universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-21 11:43:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 64,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14284188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahtoninsmile/pseuds/sarahtoninsmile
Summary: Phoenix is no stranger to the dead helping him solve cases.However, he never thought he would get to experience what it was like from the other side.Ghost Trick AU





	1. 6:04 PM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Memento Mori

_She deserves this..._

_It's for the good of all of us..._

_Agreed..._

_Everyone dies..._

_It is only natural..._

_(Unlike everything she has brought upon us...)_

_And so, it is decided..._

_This will be her fate..._

 

...

The sun was just beginning to set over the mountains when the last train to Kurain Village finally arrived at the station. A small crowd was already gathered on the dusty platform, ready to board and return to their modern comforts. Yet, as the doors opened, a single passenger stepped off to remain behind, alone, as the train hissed back to life and started its return trip.

The man took a moment to look both ways down the shaded bare platform, searching.

_(The train was only a couple minutes late. I wonder where she could be?)_

He set his duffel bag against one blue pant leg as he moved to check his wristwatch. However, he had to wait only a moment for the person he was expecting. He was barely able to react to the familiar sound of incoming sandals smacking at full sprint before he was thoroughly and utterly tackled in a bear hug.

“ _Niiiick!_ You made it!”

Phoenix grunted slightly as his back twinged at the force, but he smiled down at the young woman gripping him nevertheless, “Hello to you too, Maya.”

She giggled, eyes shining under her dark bangs as she gave him one last squeeze before mercifully letting go. Their lives were nearly unrecognizable from the time they had first become friends but moments like these remained a constant. Her face softened as she looked at him, “Heh, I know it’s only been a couple months since we saw each other, but it feels longer. I’m glad you’re here,”

“Me too,” Phoenix said, “Although, I was kinda worried. I thought you might be in trouble.”

“Trouble? Why?”

“You just sounded really excited when we talked on the phone.”

Maya puffed her cheeks, suddenly indignant, “Hey, what's that supposed to mean? Are trying to say that me being excited just means ‘trouble’ to you?”

“No, well… not exactly,” Phoenix rubbed his neck.

She pouted, folding her arms, “Nick, really, I’m a responsible, all powerful, super wise spirit channeling master now. I find your lack of faith disturbing.”

“Sorry, sorry…”

“…”

“…”

“Nick. Put the magatama away.”

“Just double checking...” he muttered, relaxing his grip on the stone in his pocket, “So everything’s really alright? You didn’t call me to help with a case or anything?”

“Nope!” Maya clapped her hands, “No work. Just old friends having a weekend visit. Although, I did have something special planned.”

“Oh?”

“So, you know how since I finished my training I’ve taken over as Master of Kurain?”

“I do,” Phoenix nodded, “Still very happy for you, Maya. You worked long and hard for that.”

“Thanks!” she beamed, “But see, Kurain Village is my responsibility now, and well…I’ve had a lot of ideas to improve things, and I’ve already started to make some big changes around here.” Maya suddenly seemed nervous as she twisted her hands behind her back.

“Changes? Like what?”

Maya brightened, emboldened. She leaned forward, grinning, “First, brace yourself mentally, physically, and emotionally, and take out your cell phone right now.”

“My phone?” Phoenix frowned, reaching into his pocket, “What about it? Are you finally going to show me how to change my ringtone?”

“Never. _C’mon_ , look closer! Notice anything _different_?”

Phoenix squinted at the tiny flip screen while Maya practically vibrated over his shoulder. However, she quickly grew impatient with him when he failed to look impressed, “Look at the bars, Nick! You actually _have_ them now!”

“Oh yeah,” Phoenix looked at the little icon she was pointing, “I have a signal out here, when did that happen?”

“Heh, since I twisted the city council’s arm as Master of Kurain and got us a couple cell towers,” Maya said smugly.

Phoenix raised his eyebrows, “Y-you can do that?”

“Don’t underestimate me, Nick,” she said sagely.

_(Wouldn’t dream of it, Maya.)_

“And that's only the beginning,”

Phoenix shook his head, tutting, “First you took over my office, and now the city.”

“Next the WORLD!” he watched as Maya took off running out of the station, sandals slapping her feet and fist raised in triumph.

A moment later she poked her head back around the corner, grinning expectantly.

“C’mon! I got a lot more to show you.”

“Is this why you called me down here?” Phoenix asked wryly, throwing his overnight bag over one shoulder, “Just wanted to show off your new toys?”

“Basically,” she chirped, falling into step beside him, “Oh, and I guess I kinda missed you.”

Maya smiled at him brightly then, as they began their walk down the tree-studded lane that would lead them to the village. Phoenix couldn’t help but return the gesture as nostalgia bubbled warmly in his chest.

With his free hand, he pulled Maya against him in a one-armed hug, “Missed you too.”

…

At first glance not much seemed to have changed in Kurain Village. The weather-beaten old payphone and bus stop were still there, as well as the general sense of having stepped back in time at least a hundred years. However, the more Phoenix looked, the more little changes he could see. The old thatched roofs on the houses of the villagers had been replaced with proper tiles to match the refinement of the Fey Manor. Fresh flowers and herbs for incense grew in newly tilled flower beds. Even the curse seals on the Kurain Boulder looked new. Everything shone a little cleaner, brighter. And that included the people. In fact, there seemed to be more villagers than Phoenix remembered. Before, Kurain Village had almost felt like a ghost town (no pun intended) with a scarce handful of acolytes residing there to train, although Phoenix rarely saw any of them. However, now, the earthen street was dotted with purple robes as people moved out and about, occasionally stopping as they buzzed about their duties to softly greet Maya.

For a town of spirit mediums, all the activity took away some of the mystique and macabre, but in exchange it seemed Maya had made a warm place to call home.

“Welcome to Kurain 2.0,” Maya said with a satisfied wave of her arm.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said things were different. This place is so much more… _lively._ ”

Maya smirked, “I figured just ‘cause we deal with dead people, doesn’t mean the village has to be, you know.”

“You mean you did all this?”

“Eh, not really,” she shrugged, pausing to smile at a couple passerby, “Kurain was kinda picking up over the last few years, ever since the Hazakura Temple case. I just gave it a little TLC to help it along.”

“Like going to the LA city council just to give you cell reception?”

“Hey, don’t think I didn’t sense that sarcasm,” Maya elbowed his ribs lightly as they walked, “I also asked them about boring stuff like getting garbage services and a better bus route, too.”

Phoenix blinked, “Really? That’s… actually pretty thoughtful and mature of you, Maya.”

Her golden colored magatama clinked as she bounced ahead, grinning, “Don’t worry, I also asked about getting wifi service. I’m not old and boring yet.”

“I see.”

Phoenix rolled his eyes, but really, he was impressed by how far Maya had come. She had accepted her mantle with grace, while remaining ever bubbly and impish. Now the village seemed to be flourishing under her leadership.

So, when Maya suddenly stopped, and refused to meet his eyes, he was confused.

“Be honest, do you… actually like it?” she asked, voice soft.

She was stronger, but still so unsure.

Looking around, he took in the view of people making candles, meditating in the grass, sweeping their porches, reading in the sunshine…

Phoenix smiled.

“You should be proud of yourself, Maya. I know I am. And I’m sure Mia would be, too.”

“You mean it?” she asked slowly.

Phoenix nodded, “Kurain Village has never looked better.”

She blushed a little darker, but it seemed like the right thing to say, “In that case, want to see the biggest new addition?”

“New addition?”

He followed Maya as she began to trot happily down the path to the last building on the row of houses.

“Wasn’t this Dr. Buff’s home?” Phoenix asked, looking up at the wall of windows he knew looked into the study. The house was larger than most of the others in the village, enough to accommodate the large collections of books and artifacts. However ever since the Professor’s death almost a year ago, Phoenix wasn’t aware they would be able to use any of it.

“It used to be,” Maya said, opening the front door for him, “But Armie and me have been working together since before she left on that dig.”

As Phoenix stepped inside, it was like the house had undergone the same treatment the village had: mostly recognizable, but with definite changes. The floor-to-ceiling wall of books was still there, and there was indeed a large collection of artifacts on display. But now the collection looked like it had at least tripled in size since the last time Phoenix saw it. The middle of the room was now taken up by large shelves of relics that nearly reached the high ceiling.

“There’s even more upstairs,” Maya said proudly.

“Maya, what is all this?” Phoenix breathed, neck straining to look up at the topmost shelves.

“We have a cool lab now! Isn’t it exciting?” she chirped.

_(I’m sure Ema would approve.)_

Various bowls, urns, magatamas, beads, and the-spirits-knew-what-else were all carefully stored and displayed on the shelves. Around the room larger stone statues stood by, along with pieces of scientific looking equipment and computers.

“What kind of things are you researching exactly? Spirit mediums and science seems like an unlikely combination,” Phoenix said.

“Oh, mostly just artifacts, rocks, and some writings. We haven’t been experimenting or anything so much as organizing and cataloging stuff we’ve found so far,” Maya tapped her chin. “We used some of Dr. Buff’s findings like a springboard to start digging up things on Kurain. A lot was lost over the years, or stolen. I’m hoping eventually we can rebuild Kurain, not just the physical village, but our knowledge as well.”

Maya lovingly swept a hand over a cracked urn that Phoenix recognized, resting on a pedestal. Although permanently damaged and stained with pink paint, Maya brushed the dust off it with care.

“This is all really great, Maya. Although, I have to admit,” his lips quirked into a smile, “I knew you were dedicated, but I hadn't quite pegged you for the one to be passionate about old stuff like this.”

Maya shrugged at him in the reflection on the urn, “I guess they kinda grew on me while I was in Khura'in.”

“Funny, I thought you were going to say something about _me_ being old," Phoenix retorted. 

“Dang, you’re right,” Maya’s eyes widened, “I’m losing my touch." Their eyes met in the gloss of the urn, “We’ve been away way too long,”

“Agreed,” Phoenix said.

Their heads pricked up as a door opened on the upstairs landing.

Maya’s face broke into a smile, “Oh hey, perfect timing!”

Phoenix watched as a young woman descended the stairs. She was obviously a spirit medium, with her deep purple garb, although hers looked fairly over-sized. Her robes dragged on the ground behind her and the sleeves went clear past her hands which she had folded in front of her as she approached them.

“Nick, this is Sister Aoi. She’s been training here as a spirit medium, but lately she’s also started working here in our lab!” Maya explained, “And Aoi, this is my old friend, Mr. Phoenix Wright. He’s an attorney.”

“Nice to meet you, Aoi.”

The woman puffed a breath, lifting a couple strands of the long onyx black hair that veiled her face, just long enough to take a peek at him, “…Likewise…” she said in a slow, gravelly voice.

Phoenix was a little taken back, immediately finding the acolyte fairly creepy, but he managed a friendly smile, “So, uh, what do you study here?”

“…words…”

“Huh?”

“…I read…I like language…so I help translate… and transcribe… the old scrolls and books… on Kurian spirit channeling…” was the monotone reply.

“O-oh. That sounds really interesting.”

Aoi made a stiff motion like a very slight nod, “Meaning across languages…is a challenge.… interesting look… into cultures…but also…you can tell… a lot about a person… from their word choice…”

“Really?” Phoenix asked, “Can you tell anything about me?”

The woman gave another puff, moving her hair again to peer at him through one eye, “…Your words…are awkward…perhaps you are not a reader…and don’t know what to say about the art…of language…or perhaps…you simply find me…off-putting…”

Phoenix laughed nervously.

_(Well, if I wasn’t awkward before I definitely am now!)_

Maya clasped her hands brightly, “Heh heh, she read you like a book, Nick! Don’t mind him too much, Aoi. Nick here is a strange one.”

“…It’s…perfectly alright…”

_(Wait, **I’m** the strange one?!)_

“Sister Aoi has been great. She helped me start the lab. None of this would be here without her and Armie’s support.”

Aoi replied in the same gravelly dull voice, “…I am filled with an overflowing joy…at being able to do fulfilling work…”

_(Overflowing?)_

He cleared his throat, “Eh-heh, well, you …seem really observant anyway. I’m sure that makes you really good at your work here.”

“You are…very kind...” the acolyte bowed, “But I'm sorry...I would stay and chat…but I have…other duties to perform…before dinner…”

“Oh yeah, it’s almost supper time isn’t it? Don’t let us hold you up, we’ll see you in the dining hall!”

“…Thank you…Mystic Maya…” Aoi gave another creaky bow before shuffling out the door, however not before she gave Phoenix one last look through her inky hair. Phoenix stiffened as an involuntary shudder ran up his spine at the unsettling image.

“She seems…nice,” Phoenix said lamely.

Maya looked bemused at his uncomfortableness, “It’s okay. You kinda get used to her after a while. We don’t have to sit with her at dinner or anything, if you don’t want.”

“N-no no, it’s fine. I’m glad you have good people to help you at the village. It’s really great, Maya,” Phoenix scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, “Maybe you could show me some of the stuff in here tomorrow?”

Maya brightened at that, “Sure thing! But for now, I believe the dinner bell is calling our names.”

“Lead the way, Master Maya.”

Phoenix followed Maya as she locked up the lab for the night. An orange glow of dusk had settled over the village, and everything seemed to be slowing down into a lazy peaceful haze as night approached.

Phoenix could smell something cooking as they started toward Fey Manor.

“Mmm food,” Maya sighed wistfully, “You know, that’s another good idea. I should get some food shops up here for the village. You think if I ask, Eldoon will open up a route here?”

“You managed to weasel some cell towers from the city, a food truck will be child’s play for you, I’m sure,” he said dryly.

As they turned the corner however, Phoenix frowned, “Uh Maya, is that another new addition?”

He pointed toward a sleek looking yellow camper, which had suddenly seemed to appear near the entrance of the village, glaring brightly in the setting sun.

Maya’s face fell a little as she caught sight of the banana colored bulk on wheels. She chuckled sheepishly, “Heh, no that’s actually-”

“Miss _Fey!_ Just the girlie I wanted to see!”

There had been two people standing near the camper talking, a man and another acolyte. However, as soon as the man, the apparent owner of the camper, caught sight of them he had called out enthusiastically. He immediately began to saunter towards them with a thousand-watt smile, a straw skimmer hat cocked proudly on his neatly kept head. The acolyte he had been talking to looked very weary and harassed. She seemed to hasten to stop him, but the man moved with the swiftness and determination of a loping bull. So she was forced to settle for meekly treading in his wake.

“Whoa, another friend of yours, Maya?” Phoenix asked.

“Uh, kinda, I guess?” Maya gave a slightly pained smile, waving her hand meekly in greeting.

The other man was about as conspicuous as his camper against the rustic village with his crisp tan colored pinstriped suit and lime green bow-tie. As he approached, he immediately shook Maya’s hand. Although, handshake would be an understatement, as he was so vigorous he shook Maya’s whole arm.

“So glad to see you, Miss Fey, just so glad. How are you doing this lovely evening? Isn’t it lovely? Gotta love that country air.”

“Sorry, Mystic Maya. I tried to tell him it was getting too late for unexpected visitors,” the acolyte apologized, breathless. Her bright mane of yellowish-orange hair looked frazzled.

Maya gave a reassuring nod to the trembling acolyte, “Don't worry about it, Marigold. I'll deal with him.”

“'Deal with him'?” the man laughed heartily, “You wound me, Miss Fey!”

Maya chuckled good-naturedly, “I mean it in a good way, Mr. Shun, like how Nick here has to 'deal' with me! Which reminds me, Mr. Shun this is my old friend Mr.-”

Phoenix suddenly found himself on the receiving end of the same rigorous handshake, “Pleasure to meet you, sir. An absolute pleasure. Name’s Shun, Loki Shun. I’m with Zashiki Realty, best real estate business this side of the country, I’m sure you’ve heard of us,”

“R-real estate business?” Phoenix asked weakly.

“Yeeees sir,” the man beamed, “You know we’re not normally based in these parts, but I’ve been taking my yellow beauty over there and helpin’ out folks, makin’ their dreams come true. Their dreams for the perfect home, that is. People get all misty eyed over the mountain views around here, you know, so here I am. You know why? I know _just_ what people want and how to make them happy. Yes sir, you are looking at the best man in the business, in the best company in the business.

You know what they say,” he fluffed his bow-tie proudly, “The most important real estate agent’s mantra: Loki Shun, Loki Shun, Loki Shun!”

Phoenix deflated, “I’m pretty sure that’s not actually what they meant when-”

“Tell me my fellow sharply-dressed friend, are you buying or selling?”

“W-what? Me?” Phoenix blanched as Shun threw one arm around his shoulders, “N-no I’m not buying or selling anything! I don’t even have a lawn, much less a house!”

The admission only seemed to spur the other man on, he looked like a cat that had just caught a canary by the tail, “Oh _ho_ , well we’ll have to fix that! After I’m done doing business with the little lady, of course. Why don’t you give me a call as soon as you get the chance, there. I’ll set you up real nice. Get you a nice _bungalow_. You seem like the _bungalow_ kind of guy.”

It took all Phoenix’s frazzled brainpower just to keep up with Loki Shun’s racing words. Meanwhile his equally fast hands had whipped out a handful of paper that at first Phoenix thought was a wad of cash but was actually a stack of acid green business cards. Before he knew it, the man had forced about a dozen of them into Phoenix’s hand while he was talking.

Shun was about to slip more business cards into Phoenix’s breast pocket when Maya mercifully stepped in, gently prying him away from Shun's grip on his shoulders, “That’s very nice of you, Mr. Shun, I’m sure Nick and his old dingy apartment are grateful.”

“Uh, yeah, sure,” Phoenix blinked as his brain seemed to catch up, “But wait, did you just say you had business with Maya? What kind of business?”

Shun fluffed his bow tie importantly again, “Well, if you must know, my friend, I was just going to restate my offer to Miss Fey, here.”

“Offer?” Phoenix asked, growing more and more suspicious.

“Mr. Shun has been visiting nearly every day for the last couple weeks. He’s been making an offer to buy the whole Kurain Village lot,” Maya explained. Off to the side, the other acolyte, Marigold, looked extremely nervous, her eyes fell down at the ground as she wrung the sleeves on her purple training robe. However she remained silent.

Phoenix frowned, “Buy? But you’ve been all excited showing me the new things you’ve done to the village this whole time, why would you sell it?”

“That’s what I’ve told Mr. Shun,” Maya said, giving the other man a pointed side-eye, “Kurain is still not for sale.”

Shun hardly seemed to hear her, his Cheshire Cat grin as wide as ever, “Well, you know what they say, can’t blame a guy for trying, now can you, Miss Fey?”

“I suppose not. But like I’ve said before, Kurain Village is extremely important to myself, my family, and all of the people who train here. I couldn’t possibly give it up for any amount of money.”

Shun tipped his straw hat low, almost managing to look sorry, “That’s a shame, Miss Fey. A right shame. Still though, you’ll have to forgive me for being a bit of a scoundrel. This valley is a hot spot right now, which is the best kind of spot to be. I’m afraid I’m not quite done with you yet.”

“Whatever you say, Mr. Shun,” Maya shook her head lightly.

“Ah, Mystic Maya?”

They all turned towards Marigold. It seemed like she had finally found her voice again, although she still looked very small and uneasy, “S-s-sorry to interrupt, but I think everyone is waiting for us in the dining hall. Shouldn't we be going there now?”

“Right you are! We really should be on our way. Unless you would like to stay for dinner, Mr. Shun?” Maya quirked her head at the real estate agent.

“Ah, you're so kind to always ask me, Miss Fey,” Shun clapped his hands together, still grinning pleasantly, “But my answer is the same as well. I’m afraid duty calls. You know what they say-”

“Sell, sell, sell,” Maya chuckled, “Goodbye then, Mr. Shun.”

With that the man left as quickly as he seemed to arrive. He bade them all farewell and left with a tip of his hat and a cloud of dust in his retina searing yellow camper. The village suddenly seemed much quieter as he rumbled away.

“Jeesh,” Phoenix sighed, patting himself down. Shun’s business cards seemed to have gotten everywhere on his person, they even clogged up his Court Record, “Where do you even find these people, Maya?”

Maya giggled, “Eh, between Shun and Aoi, I like to think they balance each other out.”

“I'll say...”

A soft sniff nearly made Phoenix jump, he had nearly forgot the other acolyte was there, she was so quiet. She was still ringing her hands, “I... I have to admit, Mr. Shun makes me nervous. He seems tr-tr-tricky...”

“Don't you worry,” Maya said, “I'm pretty sure Shun’s harmless. He's just a bit excitable, like a golden retriever.”

“Yeah well,” Phoenix lowered his voice, “If that guy or anyone else gives you trouble, you know you can call me, right? I _am_ a lawyer. Most people are kind of scared of those.”

“L-lawyer?” Marigold asked, “Does that mean you-you're Mystic Maya's friend, Mr. Phoenix Wright?”

“Why, yes. You know about me?”

Maya threw one arm around the girl's shoulders, “I've kinda taken Marigold here under my wing. I might have bragged about you a couple times while we've been training.”

The acolyte bowed, her bright hair bouncing with the movement, “It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Wright. It's good to know Mystic Maya has a friend to watch over her. I wo-worry sometimes,”

“That makes two of us,” Phoenix sniffed a small laugh.

“Hey, it's okay, you two,” Maya grinned, “I am a strong independent woman. I buy my own burgers and everything.”

_(I’ m pretty sure one of those is a lie.)_

“Speaking of food,” Maya continued, “I hereby declare it to be dinnertime. Let's go eat!”

As they all started toward the manor, Maya poked fun as Phoenix's stomach gave a loud growl, while Marigold followed behind quietly. Soon the three were seated, along with all the other acolytes in Kurain Village, on cushions at one of the long tables in the dining hall. Candles and lanterns gave a soft cozy glow as heaping bowls of stew and rice were passed out. Maya was quick to dig in.

“Ah, hits the spot,” she gave her belly an appreciative pat, “The only thing that would make this better is if Pearl didn't have to go away for training. We all could've been together,”

“Yeah,” Phoenix said around a mouthful, “Guess it gives me a reason to come visit again.”

“That'd be wonderful!” Maya beamed, “Bring Trucy too, we'll make a weekend of it. I tell you, things are really looking up around here.”

Phoenix shared a smile with Maya as a couple younger acolytes approached her. As Phoenix turned back to his food while Maya talked to the others, he noticed Marigold sitting across the table. She looked very distracted but downcast, staring at her food while she mutely pushed it around, not eating.

“Marigold?”

The young woman jumped, dropping her chopsticks with a chink against the side of her bowl, “Huh?”

“Is...something wrong?” he asked.

She suddenly looked more troubled, avoiding his eyes, as if embarrassed, “Sorry. It's fine, don't worry about me...”

He found his interest suddenly piqued. Maya had seemed to have created such a nice new Kurain Village, it was hard to think that anything could be amiss to make someone like Marigold so troubled. Although he did have one suspicion. Casting a sideways glance at Maya, still happily absorbed in conversation, he leaned forward slightly so only Marigold could hear, “...Is it about Mr. Shun?”

Her eyes widened slightly, but she said nothing.

When she didn't continue, Phoenix softened, at once more casual and warm in a way that he had found good for not only dealing with clients but numerous pseudo-children in need of comfort.

“You know,” he started, “I have a daughter that likes to put on a show, not just with magic. Between her and the courtroom, you could say lies have kinda become my specialty.”

Marigold looked at him hard now. Phoenix met her gaze gently. 

“...I know we just met, but a friend of Maya's is a friend of mine. Don't feel like you have to hide from me.”

She blinked at him as if surprised before ducking from his gaze again. She seemed to mull him over as she poked around in her rice.

_(Well, it was worth a shot, anyway...)_

Phoenix had just picked up his own chopsticks when her small voice spoke up.

“It's not Mr. Shun, per say...”

“Oh?”

Her voice was even more quiet than earlier, he strained to hear over the soft drone of conversation in the dining hall, “I wasn't always like this, always scared...it's just, I've been having strange feelings lately...like something bad is about to happen...almost constantly...”

Phoenix hummed, tapping his chin, “That doesn't sound pleasant. Although, I would imagine that strange feelings must be common in a place filled with spirits like Kurain. Is it possible they could be affecting you?”

Marigold nodded thoughtfully, “I have been training pretty hard lately,” she sighed, “Maybe I just need a long break...I just can't shake the feeling something is going to happen to Mystic Maya...”

Phoenix gave her a warm smile, “You must care about Maya a lot to be this worried about her.”

Marigold brightened at that, “I look up to Mystic Maya very much! I struggled with training so much when I first got here, but she was so kind and encouraging. I'm doing so much better now because of her.”

_(Yeah, that sounds like Maya...)_

She continued, “It's not just Mystic Maya either, Kurain Village means so much to me as well. My Grandmother Lily trained here many years ago before she had to leave the village. I feel closer to her being able to come back here and follow in her footsteps. My family has always been close to the spirits, but none of us have practiced any spiritual training since my Grandmother, not until now anyway.”

“Is that why Shun makes you so nervous?” Phoenix asked, “That he's trying to take Kurain away?”

Marigold wrung her hands, “Yes... I've met so many good people like Mystic Maya here, and this is such a good opportunity for me. I would hate to lose it so suddenly...”

“It's okay to be scared,” Phoenix said reassuringly, “But I'm sure everything will be fine. Maya would never let anything happen to Kurain Village.”

Marigold looked over at the Master, still chatting animatedly. She seemed almost wistful but her face darkened when she turned back to her bowl, “It's not Mystic Maya I'm worried about selling the village...”

“What do you mean?”

When Marigold turned back towards him, she suddenly looked so serious it chilled him, “Mr. Wright...you're really a lawyer, right?”

That immediately put Phoenix on alert. He ducked his head towards her, “Yes, I am... Is it that serious?”

Marigold hesitated, worrying her lip. After drawing a shaky breath, she finally met his eyes and had just opened her mouth to speak when a sudden small cry from Maya startled them both. Phoenix looked over just in time to see Maya fumble with her cup and bowl before they both clattered to the floor, spilling their contents everywhere.

“It's okay, it was just water,” she said, shaking her dripping hands, “I think I just knocked it over with my sleeve.”

He let out the breath he had been holding.

“I'll help you clean it up,” Phoenix offered, scooping up the dishes. Another acolyte offered to get a broom. Marigold watched them in still silence. As Phoenix was blotting his damp sleeve, he noticed her hands gripping the edge of the table with white knuckles. Her face was nearly unreadable, but her eyes were wide. Terror-stricken. 

As another plate of food was set for Maya, Phoenix watched Marigold worriedly, “Marigold, did something-?”

“Excuse me...is this...seat taken?”

Marigold visibly stiffened as she looked up at the speaker, Sister Aoi.

Aoi stood, looking unaffected as ever, holding her own bowl of food expectantly in front of the empty seat next to Marigold.

“Sure, Aoi. Have a seat!” Maya chirped.

Marigold solemnly watched out of the corner of her eye as Aoi bent to sit on the open cushion. She curled into herself slightly as Aoi settled. Neither touched their food nor looked at each other. Phoenix frowned.

_(Huh...I understand Marigold's feelings to Shun but why the visceral reaction to someone like Aoi? Aren't they all Maya's friends?)_

Maya seemed oblivious to the tension that had settled over the other side of the table, or at least refused to acknowledge it, and continued to chat and eat happily. Phoenix struggled to join her, stiffly taking bites of food.

However it wasn't long before Marigold suddenly stood, “I think I'll turn in early for the evening.”

“Oh, already?” Maya asked, “You didn't really eat. Are you not feeling well?”

Phoenix could see the acolyte determinedly keep her eyes down, away from Aoi, who appeared to be just as oblivious, looking at and saying nothing under her veil of dark hair.

“Good night, Mystic Maya...” she said quietly.

Before Maya could say anything else, Marigold had speed-walked away, her bright hair chasing behind her as she hurried out of the dining hall.

“Good night...Marigold?” Maya pouted, now appearing worried as she watched her leave.

Across the table, Aoi calmly sipped from her cup.

Phoenix was left wondering about what Marigold was about to tell him. She seemed like a pretty anxious person in the few minutes he had known her. Was that just her being paranoid or could there be something else happening that he wasn't aware of? She seemed really intent on Aoi just then, but Maya seemed to trust her. As carefree as Maya could be, he knew her well enough to know there were certain things she took quite seriously, Kurain being one of those things, as his trip so far had proved. They had also been through a lot together and met many types of people. He didn't believe Maya would be so ignorant and naive to the threat of a dangerous person, especially one close to her. With everything they had seen in the courtroom from their clients to witnesses to criminals, there was nothing that could surprise them when it came to what people were capable of.

Phoenix's thoughts were interrupted when Aoi stood, just as sudden as Marigold had, although her voice was as flat and unhurried as ever, “I believe...I should...turn in...for the night...as well...”

Maya bade her good night as she slipped away from the dining hall, her long robes still dragging behind her. Silence settled amid the soft hum of conversation around them at the table.

Phoenix ducked his head towards Maya once Aoi's robe trail had vanished around the corner, “What was all that about?”

Maya sighed, picking at her food, “I'm not entirely sure... I just know that Aoi and Marigold haven't been getting along the last few weeks.”

“Not getting along?”

“Nope,” Maya frowned, tapping her cheek thoughtfully, “It's been hard. I really like them both and I depend on each of them helping me around the Village. I couldn't imagine what could have come between them though...”

“Have you asked Marigold about it?”

Maya nodded, “I tried anyway... she always clams up whenever I bring it up,” she shook her head. Phoenix could tell the issue was really wearing her down, but when she turned back to him she looked determinedly brighter, “Listen don't worry about it, Nick. I'm keeping an eye on them. It's probably just silly petty drama, so let's just enjoy the weekend together.”

“...If you say so Maya,” Phoenix returned her smile, and they turned back to their food.

He still had his lingering doubts, but he put them aside for Maya's sake. Their visits were still so few and far between, he wouldn't want to tarnish a chance like this. Maya was Master now, if she insisted that she could deal with villager drama and pushy real estate brokers, then he trusted her. 

Phoenix of all people knew best that Maya Fey was a force of nature. 

When they finally left the dining hall, the tension had been lifted significantly. They chatted lightly as Maya led Phoenix down one of the dimly lit corridors.

"-so now Tucy's wanting to upgrade her doves to trained owls for her magic show.”

Maya laughed, “You could compromise. Let her use parrots instead, those seem to like you better.”

“Ha ha, very funny,”

Maya flicked the loose lock of hair on his forehead teasingly as they rounded a corner, "Your rooms down this way. I'll say goodnight, but then I'll have to go help with evening training sessions."

"Thanks, Maya."

The hallway they were in was deserted and amicably quiet save for the distant chatter through the walls as acolytes moved about, lit only by candlelight. He and Maya settled into an easy silence as they walked. But then a sudden noise cut through the peace. 

“ _Pssst_...”

Phoenix paused at the sound of the soft hiss. Maya stopped when she noticed he wasn't following her.

She frowned, “Nick, what is it?”

He strained his eyes, looking around when a figure from the shadows around another corner stepped out.

“M-marigold?” Maya called out.

The acolyte did not respond, remaining half hidden. The only thing distinguishable about her was her hair and part of her normally sweet looking face. Instead she simply said, voice soft as ever, “I have something important to tell you.”

Phoenix stiffened at that, numerous ideas suddenly sparked in his mind. Maya looked just as serious, despite herself, “Is something wrong?”

Marigold slipped back around the corner, hardly pausing for them, “Follow me.”

Maya and Phoenix shared a look, before following Marigold down another darkened side corridor. The acolyte did not say anymore nor even turn to look at them, so they merely trailed several steps behind her.

“What do you make of this?” Phoenix whispered.

Maya winced, “I'm...not sure..."

"Do you think it has something to do with what happened at dinner?"

"I guess. I didn't want to think it was this bad, though," Maya said hoarsely. 

“This does seem pretty serious,” Phoenix admitted.

“Sorry, Nick. I'm sure you don't want to get involved in Kurain drama while on a weekend vacation.”

Phoenix touched her sagging shoulder reassuringly, “It's okay, Maya. Kurain is important to you, so it's important to me too. I'm happy to help.”

Maya gave a small smile in spite of herself, reaching up to squeeze his hand, “Thanks, Nick. You're a good friend...”

Ahead of them, Marigold had turned into the doorway of a room. Phoenix and Maya followed silently, only briefly pausing in front of it before Phoenix slid the door open. He let Maya enter first, closing the door behind them before looking into the room.

Nothing seemed amiss, at first.

Marigold was stood, facing away from them in the center of the room. Lit candles around the room created stark flickering shadows. Phoenix recognized it as one of the channeling chambers.

When Marigold didn't move, Phoenix took a step forward, “What did you need to tell us?”

All at once things began to happen very quickly yet very slowly.

The acolyte inclined her head to him slightly, before her body followed to turn around. He first noticed the blank look on her face, so different from the nervous but sweet person he had met before. But then he caught the glint from the revolver in her hand, and it was all he could think about.

The moment only lasted a second, but it felt like an eternity, an entire conversation had taken place as Phoenix and the girl met eyes.

She raised the gun.

Her eyes shifted over to Maya.

His body followed her gaze before his brain was even aware, without thought he flung one arm out to pull Maya behind him. He reached to open the door, to retreat, but he never got there.

There was a single loud sound. He knew there was more noise going on, but nothing else seemed to get through. It was like every sense in his body had been replaced with cotton. Everything was muted, fuzzy, and disconcertingly light.

He could feel himself stagger as another one of those loud sounds came through the strange haze. With that one though, he slowly realized there was a really troubling pinching sensation that was blossoming in his chest. It grew more painful, until it began to burn. His shirt was sticking to him unpleasantly.

Suddenly all the cotton turned into lead.

He belatedly realized he could not stand until he was already falling under his strangely heavy body. The floor seemed so close, yet it seemed like a lifetime for him to reach it. He vaguely wanted to reach out to brace himself, but his arm wouldn’t obey him. Nothing would.

He was falling like a puppet with its’ strings cut. Or a felled tree in the forest. A toppled monument.

Falling

Falling

And soon, he was just as lifeless.

 

To Be Continued…

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've read this chapter through so many times I don't even know if it's good anymore. Could really use a Beta reader, if anyone is interested, let me know here or on my twitter/tumblr (same username)


	2. 7:48 PM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ". . . it is our common lot to die, and the gods themselves cannot rescue even one they love, when death that stretches all men out lays its dread hand upon him." -Athena (Homer, Odyssey 3.235).

It was like coming up for air after staying so long at the bottom of the ocean.

He didn’t know why he was under, swimming in the darkness, or for how long, just that suddenly he was rushing towards...

something.

And then

he was

here.

_But where was here?_

The room was strange. Very old looking and lined with paper thin walls and candles.

There was a woman here. He didn’t know her.

At least, he didn’t think he did.

Then there was another woman. A woman with a gun.

He didn’t know her either.

But what he _did_ know was that the lifeless lump lying face down on the ground, where one woman was kneeling, was him.

He couldn’t explain how he _knew_ that was him, other than he was drawn to it like a spotlight.

This brought him to his next nugget of knowledge: he was dead.

He supposed that explained things, at least. Like why he seemed to be an amorphous blue flame, flickering meekly in liminal space. However as soon as he put any thought towards his appearance, it changed immediately. The next moment he was 'himself', blue suit and all. So that was one thing sorted.

However there were bigger issues.

...That seemed odd... Why should he have issues after death?

He must not have been a lucky person. Is that why he was dead?

Ah. That was one issue:

_He could not remember a thing._

No name... No family... No friends... What he had even been doing...

He could remember nothing about himself.

Just that he apparently had strange tastes in hairstyles.

And he was dead. (A ghost?)

That part was important.

But... _why_ was he dead?

That brought him back to the present. He assumed his current situation had to do with the woman holding the gun. (Seemed like a safe bet anyway...)

However if that was the case, then it seemed to him that the woman currently kneeling by him was in a pretty bad spot. The woman with the gun had yet to act after apparently shooting him, opting to simply watch dispassionately as the kneeling woman desperately shook his shoulders. However as he looked on, the woman raised the revolver again, began to take deadly aim. It looked like the kneeling woman was about to meet the same fate he had.

Unless someone did something of course.

This brought him to his next nugget of things he knew about himself: he was not the kind of guy to just stand back and let a woman get shot…

As soon as he made this conviction the world changed on him again. He saw red. Literally. In a flash the lights dimmed and changed, turning everything blood colored. No longer floating in just an ambiguous liminal space, he could see a slice of the world around his body. He could see into objects, above the ceiling, even see the rat scurrying below the floor boards.

Strange.

But not the _strangest_ thing.

Around the room, he could see these...

 _orbs_...

They stuck out against the dimmed red background. They seemed to emanate from certain objects around the room, mostly the smaller ones. Although there was a strange looking golden colored orb emitting from the woman that was kneeling over his body.

It made him curious, but it would have to wait. He assumed she would appreciate it if he saved her first before exploring such things.

But how would he do it? He was dead... how was he supposed to help her?

He looked harder at the orbs again.

_(Certainly they wouldn't be there for no reason?)_

They looked solid enough to touch, so he did.

He reached out from his spot in his body to the nearest orb, one inside a lit candle. It was a strange sensation, as if he was fire spreading over gasoline, or a fork of lightning drawn to a tree. But effortlessly he was suddenly there, several feet away, as a candle.

He was a candle.

Great.

_Now what?_

Time moved strangely when he was like this, much slower. So at least he had a moment to come up with _something_.

He didn't have much else to work with though. The room was pretty bare otherwise, the only other orbs he could see was for a scroll on the wall and the door. Not much better. So, candle would have to do.

_He had to save her._

With his resolution, the world changed again. The regular color was back, and so was the flow of time. The woman with the revolver quietly finished taking aim. The woman kneeling by his body finally seemed to remember the other one was there and stood, face wet and breath ragged as she unsteadily scrambled back to her feet.

She was so close to the door, but there would be no way for her to even get that far with how things looked. He supposed that was were he would come in.

He had to turn this around.

He did what he could only describe as a _push_. At first, nothing happened. He tried again, harder, desperate. This time, the candle did react, hopping several inches off the ground with a heavy thump, nearly knocking a couple more over. The two girls looked over, startled. The kneeling girl's wide shining eyes reflected the flames. However she recovered quickly, and turned to bolt from the room.

Unfortunately the candle wasn't a big enough distraction for the other woman. She jerked her gun back into position to shoot, and began to harshly bark out some command. He didn't have long now to make this work. The anticipation and desperation fueled him however. When he gave another _push_ , this time the candle was flung across the room as if someone had hit it with their hand. He, as the candle, managed to smack into the side of the woman with the gun. This had the benefit of not only temporarily stunning the woman with surprise, but the flame immediately caught her flowing purple robes on fire.

The woman gave out a guttural screech as she swatted at the flames with her free hand. The other woman watched, looking bewildered and terrified. However she came to her senses in time to take advantage of the distraction as the woman with the gun desperately began to shed her flaming garbs. She was out of the room, sprinting down the hallway before the other woman could do anything.

He gave a sigh of relief.

However the battle was far from over, as the other woman gave a growl as she finished stomping out her smoldering robe and tore after the fleeing woman.

_(Looks like my job here isn't quite done...)_

He had landed on the ground close enough to jump to another candle and then to the sliding door. In the hallway he could see the fleeing woman stopped halfway down the corridor with her hands up as the other woman pointed the gun at her back. He panicked.

The world went red again as he zigged from the door and through a couple hanging scrolls. He settled as the scroll on the wall between the two women. Without a moment to waste, he hastily furled it up with a whip-like snap. The two woman jumped again at the sudden movement. The woman with the gun was so startled she ended up shooting wildly at the wall. Meanwhile the other woman took the chance to sprint away again, but she only gained a couple feet before the gun was leveled at her again. He was really running out of time now.

However, an orb in a dividing screen caught his eye.

_Just maybe..._

The woman's finger tightened on the trigger. Distractions be damned, she began to shoot. Just then the hallway became blocked as a folding screen suddenly sprang open between them. She fired once, but to no use. She could hear the retreating footfalls of her intended victim on the other side, very alive and unharmed.

He smirked, watching the other woman make a break for it while the woman with the gun began to claw and kick at the suspiciously stubborn folding screen blocking the way. She only managed to shoulder him aside after the fleeing woman skid away around a corner. She immediately tailed after her. He followed the chase; in the strange red zone he was able to catch up to the fleeing woman very quickly. He watched from a lantern as she tore open what looked like a supply closet and desperately barricaded herself inside.

The woman with the gun growled as she slid to a stop in front of the closet door. She rammed her shoulder into it a couple times before standing back and firing blindly through the door. Worried, he jumped from his perch to the door to look inside.

The fleeing woman was curled up in the corner of the closet next to some buckets, her voice shaking as she talked on a cell phone with equally shaky hands. It sounded like she was calling the police. Good. However the thin walls of the manor did not seem to want to patiently wait for help to arrive. The shot may have missed, but the woman with the gun was as determined as ever to bust down the door. She rammed her body against it now with renewed vigor. If the ominous creaks of the old wood were any sign, it would not hold long.

It was still up to him.

His mind reeled as the ancient door threatened to splinter. The woman had ended the call, and was now watching the door in terror. She meekly clutched a broom to her chest like a makeshift weapon. He doubted it would do any good. However it did give him an idea.

There was a stepladder leaning against the wall directly across from the door. And it just so happened to have one of those orbs in it...

There was a great bang. And another. With one final ram and a crack the closet door swung open.

However as soon as the door swung open, so did he.

The woman with the gun had only a split second to look inside before she found herself affronted by a stepladder. It moved as if on a spring, launching itself off the wall as it unhinged open, toppling painfully over the gun-wielder. There was a tremendous crash as the stepladder knocked a shelve of cleaning supplies into the air to join the assault. In the midst of the mess, the gun was knocked several feet away. Meanwhile, the woman lay still beneath the pile.

A group of people dressed in similar purple robes began to anxiously approach the scene, whispering loudly among themselves. The other woman cautiously stepped out of the closet, looking just as confused as the others.

“M-mystic Maya! We-we heard gunshots and...a-are you hurt?” one of the bystanders in purple asked tearfully.

Maya blinked, staring at the wreckage, as if still trying to work out what all just happened, “I-i think I'm alright...”

He smiled from his stepladder.

_(I can't believe that worked!)_

This was far from over however. He still had many questions that desperately needed answers.

Who was he?

Why did he die?

What exactly happened tonight?

He did know this though: that girl and him were connected somehow. She was his only lead, and so he would continue to stay by her. Whatever it took.

Just then the pile of cleaning supplies began to move. They all stiffened. With a small sigh of pain, the other woman emerged from underneath, pushing aside the stepladder.

She stared up at them, oblivious and dazed, looking just as wide-eyed and scared as the rest of them.

…

Maya stared down at her hands folded in her lap, looking but not seeing. The police had been relatively quick to arrive at the village, but processing the scene and questioning witnesses still took hours. Now it was after midnight, and she felt not only physically but emotionally exhausted. However she had a feeling she wouldn't be sleeping that night.

He watched her with pity from a perch in a stapler on a nearby desk. He had stayed by her, hitching a ride in a police car siren when they brought her in for questioning. He still didn't know a whole lot, but he managed to gather that they were old friends, and he was visiting for the weekend. It explained why Maya seemed to know him, at least. Although he could not imagine the circumstances that would have led to that; she was so strange looking in her traditional outfit, how did she ever manage to cross his path let alone become friends with him?

_(What strange life was I living before this?!)_

There was also the question of the golden orb that emanated from Maya. Now that they were out of immediate danger, it once again drew his attention. Aside from the color, it looked so similar to the other orbs he used to possess objects. What would happen if he touched that one? He desperately needed to find a way to communicate with Maya, perhaps this was the way...

Before he could reach for the strange orb however, a large man in a ragged trench coat sat down next to Maya. He was one of the few people still left at the station at the late hour, and he looked about as tired as Maya with his weather beaten, unshaven face.

“Sorry about the wait there, pal. But the boys are almost done with the paperwork, you should be able to leave soon. I brought you some tea though...”

He handed her one of the steaming paper cups he had been carrying. She gave him a weak appreciative smile, “Thanks, Gumshoe.”

However she merely looked down into the cup, swirling the frothy dark liquid and letting the warmth seep into her fingers, instead of drinking it.

Gumshoe let out a sigh and took a weary sip of his tea, letting himself slump back and sag into the bench. Wordlessly, Maya rocked over to lean against his side, resting her cheek against his wide shoulder. He comfortingly laid an arm across her shoulders in a warm hug.

Watching from the stapler, the ghost was a little surprised to see the large gruff looking man's eyes suddenly begin to turn red and watery.

“Wright… I just can’t believe it…”

“I know…” Maya murmured, not meeting his eyes.

_(Huh? Could...could they be thinking about me?)_

“I've had friends involved in cases, as victims and suspects...” Gumshoe continued, shaking his head sadly, “...seen a lot of nasty stuff...but nothin' like this...not this...”

Maya simply tightened the grip on her cup and buried herself more snugly into his side.

_(Wright... Is that my name? We must have been really close if they’re this broken up about me.)_

A couple tears silently shone in Gumshoes eyes, threatening to overflow. However he suddenly blinked hard, wiping his face on his tattered sleeve.

“Sorry. You don’t need me blubbering right now... I really should be more happy. We could have lost you too.”

“That’s one way to look at it,” Maya nodded into his coat, “But it’s okay to feel sad too, you know.”

“I suppose…”

They fell into silence. Maya looked like she wanted to say more, as she gnawed her lip and traced the outside of her cup lightly with one finger. After a beat, she nervously asked, “… is it bad that I feel kinda sad for Marigold?”

“Marigold?” Gumshoe raised his thick eyebrows.

“Yeah…” Maya looked away, sullen, “She was always so nice and soft-spoken, not like the weirdos you see in big shootings... I guess I’m just really surprised. I didn’t expect any of this from her. I can’t understand what would make her want to hurt anyone. She looked so sad when the police came and arrested her... I don’t understand…I don’t know what to think about anything…”

Gumshoe nodded slowly, “That makes sense… I think. I guess I don’t know what to think either, pal,” he resettled the younger woman more snug against his side. He patted her shoulder reassuringly.

“Speaking of...what happened...I gotta ask you, how did you manage to get away?” he asked, “I know what the report said but...it sounds pretty er, interesting...”

Maya's shoulders drooped, “I meant what I said. Nick...Nick saved me... after that, I...I don't know for sure how, but there was a candle that distracted Marigold enough for me to get away. I managed to get into a closet. In there, a ladder suddenly sprang open and it ended up saving me. I really saw it happen, Gumshoe.”

He scratched his head, looking unsure, “Alright, alright, I was just askin' anyway,” Gumshoe looked down at Maya, slightly more chipper, “Either way, I’m glad you’re okay.”

Maya sighed, very much _not_ okay, but she didn't have the energy to argue. Gumshoe looked at her, worried. He scratched his patchy beard nervously.

Just then, a police officer approached them, “Captain Gumshoe, sir.”

“Y-yeah, what is it?” the police captain blinked.

“There are a couple reporters here. They want a statement about the, uh...newest case.”

Gumshoe sagged, “Ack, those pests...” he turned to Maya, “Don't worry, pal. This shouldn't take long. I'll be right back, and by then you should be able to go.”

“Thanks again, Gumshoe...”

Maya was left in the mostly empty office. She looked down into her tepid tea, before taking a small sip and setting it aside. She pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her face in her robes.

Now that she was alone, the ghost took the chance to make contact with her. She looked pretty down, he almost hated to bother her. Still, it had to be done, and while he didn't know what would happen to him next, he opted for sooner rather than later.

He reached out, the connection to the golden orb fizzled like he hadn't experienced before, crackling like static. He found himself sucked in, suddenly surrounded by a lazily swirling red liminal space. But more importantly, Maya was there in front of him, looking as surprised as he felt.

“W-what? What just- _Nick!_ ” her face split into a wide grin when she saw him. It was so infectious, he couldn't help but smile back in spite of himself. However, her face quickly fell, and she looked more confused than ever.

“But, how are you here? I'm not channeling you, am I? No, I always pass out, of course. I never see the spirit themselves. What's happening?”

“I was wanting to ask you the same thing,” Phoenix said, “I've been helping you using these orb things to possess objects. I noticed you had one inside of you as well. I touched it, hoping we could talk, and you could maybe help me.”

“Orbs? ...Oh, you must mean _cores_. I get it. I had to develop one in my training to help connect with spirits.”

“Yeah, you mentioned something about channeling and spirits earlier. I have to ask, what do you mean exactly?”

Maya pouted, looking very affronted, “What do you mean 'what do you mean'? You've seen me channel spirits plenty of times! It's not new news, you know.”

“No, I'm afraid, I _don't_ know...”

“What!? What gives? First you show up as a ghost and now you're just spouting nonsense. I'm beginning to think Gumshoe put something in my tea.”

He sighed, “What I mean is, I don't remember anything. Nothing before my death anyway.”

Maya gasped, “Nothing? You mean you don't remember me? After everything we shared together?! The drama?! I'M MAYA!”

_(Jeesh, it's nothing personal. Don't bite my head off...)_

“Then again,” she said thoughtfully, “I guess this isn't the first time you've lost your memories, it it? Oh well...”

_(The more I learn about myself, the more I'm surprised I haven't died sooner...)_

“Oh, you have no idea,” she rolled her eyes.

_(W-wait?! Did she just read my thoughts?)_

“Spirits don't talk, instead thoughts are beamed instantly. Not a whole lot of secrets in the ghost world, I imagine.”

_(...I suppose.)_

“Anyway,” Maya chirped, “Just know that your name is Phoenix Wright. You're my best friend, and a lawyer that's helped a lot of people.”

_(A lawyer huh? I must be really well off! It explains the suit anyway...)_

She tapped her cheek thoughtfully, “But that reminds me, you said something about helping me earlier. What did you mean?”

“Oh, like I said, I can possess these cores, as you called them. When I possess a core on an object, I can make it move. Back at the manor, I used this to protect you from the woman with the gun,” he said.

“Oh, so it was you that used the ladder to save me!” Maya beamed.

“I think it was a more of a stepladder but-”

“Ha! I knew I wasn't just seeing things. Thanks for saving me, Nick!”

The Ghost World didn't permit them to touch, but from the waves of warmth coming off Maya, it felt about the same as a hug, “N-no problem, Maya.”

He stuttered as Maya regarded him with shining eyes, “You know,” she said, “I thought I had sensed you nearby earlier, but I...I just figured it was wishful thinking. I'm really glad I got to see you again, Nick...”

He was a little startled by her sudden melancholy tone. He replied warmly, “You too, Maya. Even if I don't remember everything, I could already tell you were important.”

She brightened at that, “I really hope you get your memories back soon”

“Who knows,” Phoenix shrugged, “Maybe something will come to me later.”

“Yeah!” Maya clasped her hands, “Tell you what, why don't I take you home? Maybe being around your old things will help make your-” Maya’s eyes suddenly went wide in silent horror and the color drained from her face.

“What is it? What’s wrong now?”

“Trucy…”

“Huh?”

“Your daughter…”

“My _what-er_?” Phoenix blanched.

Maya heaved a sigh, but waved him off, “Don't...don't worry about it. We'll deal with it when we get there. Anyway,” he could tell she was doing her best to put on a small smile to sate his sudden nerves, “We're out of danger. What did you plan on doing next?”

He tapped his chin, “I...actually hadn't thought about it too much. I know I still want to stay close to you. But what is there to do as a ghost? What are _you_ planning on doing?” he asked, looking to her.

Maya regarded him thoughtfully, “Hmm, I'm not sure either, other than waiting until morning to hear from the police investigation team. Then I'll need to return to Kurain. As for what to do for you, I'm not so sure. I've never seen anything like this before.”

“Y-you haven't?” Phoenix balked. It wasn't the kind of thing a guy liked to hear from someone like a spirit medium. Same with the doctors or the dentists...

_(...like having a disease named after you...)_

“Quit being so morbid. Besides calling coming back as a ghost getting 'Phoenix'ed' sounds strangely appropriate,” Maya rolled her eyes.

“Maybe...”

“Anyway,” Maya continued, “There have been attempts in the past to bind spirits to inanimate objects, like the case with my ancestor Ami Fey and her Sacred Urn. To be honest, we've always been respectful and careful with the Urn, but there has never been any reaction or contact made with her spirit.”

“Oh, I see...”

“If you want,” Maya said, “I could use a Magatama of Parting on you and release you to the Twilight Realm to be at rest.”

“Oh?”

As she said it however, she looked uneasy and suddenly subdued, “But, you don't...you wouldn't want to leave just yet, would you?”

He was a little taken aback by the question, but more so at the earnest expression she gave him as she awaited his answer. He considered her carefully.

“No. I...I think I want to stay. It seems like I have some questions that still need answers.”

Maya cocked her head, “Questions? About what exactly?”

“My memories, for starters,” Phoenix said, “But more importantly, my death. I would like to know why I died tonight.”

Maya looked shocked, “You want to investigate your own case?”

“As best as I'm able, yes.”

“...Does this mean you don't think Marigold killed you?”

He hesitated at that.

By all means he should feel relieved that the person who killed him, and who he watched attempt to kill Maya, had been arrested. But the more he thought about the situation the more things didn't quite add up.

“Maya, earlier you said Marigold was kind and soft-spoken, and you didn't see a reason for her to hurt anyone, right?”

“Yeah, sure. I've worked with her closely over the last several months, she's always been friendly.”

“And I've never met her before, right?”

“No, but I don't see-”

“If that's true, then she does not have a solid motive to try to kill either of us.”

“Nick, what are you saying?” Maya looked at him hard, “I...I saw her... _saw her shoot you_. Even if she is innocent somehow, the eyewitness testimony I just gave the police is going to get her a guilty verdict for sure.”

Phoenix nodded, “I won't argue with that. Maybe she is guilty. But, all I'm saying,” he said, looking her in the eye, “Is that I think there is more to this story, and I want to uncover it myself. Until I have the full truth, then I will believe in Marigold.”

Maya stared at him, wide-eyed and mouth agape, clearly stunned. Suddenly though she erupted into a fit of giggles, clutching at her stomach.

Phoenix deflated, “Hey, why are you laughing? I'm serious!”

Maya wiped at her eyes, still giggling, “I know, I know. It's just that... are you _sure_ you don't remember anything?”

“Huh? Oh, um, yeah, I'm pretty sure.”

She grinned at him wide, though he couldn't imagine why.

Maya took a look around, face falling slightly, “We've been here a while. Gumshoe is probably on his way back.”

“You're probably right.”

“What will you do?” she asked him.

“Don't worry,” he said, “Like I said, I'll stay nearby. When we have more information tomorrow, we can investigate.”

Maya nodded enthusiastically, clasping her hands, “Alright! Sounds like a plan. That crime scene won't know what hit it!”

He chuckled. She was a handful and a half, but he was beginning to see why he was friends with this girl.

When Maya roused back in the physical world, she was still grinning and looking much happier than when she left. True to his word, Phoenix stayed close. He spotted another core in Maya's strange looking necklace and hopped on, feeling more at ease than he had any other moment since he had died now that he finally managed to communicate.

Maya absentmindedly touched her magatama, lightly tracing it with her finger, as Gumshoe finally approached.

“Sorry about that, pal,” he said gruffly.

“Did those reporters give you trouble?” Maya asked.

“You know it,” Gumshoe huffed, sitting down again, “They were wanting the scoop on Mr. Wright's case. Hmmph, hardly been a couple hours and they're already swooping in like a bunch of buzzards on the poor guy.”

Maya patted his shoulder sympathetically, “It's okay. At least it's nice that they wanted to write something about Nick.”

“I suppose,” Gumshoe sniffed, “Anyway, I told them to get lost until we had a chance to contact friends and family first.”

“Oh, does that mean you haven't called anyone yet?”

“Nah, but we were about to. I was going to offer to drive you wherever you needed to go then go call a few people myself.”

“That's okay Gumshoe. I...I think I'd like to do it.”

The police captain looked at her worriedly, “Um, are you sure? You've had a rough night already.”

Maya nodded somberly, “Yeah. I was there. I should be the one to do it.”

“...If you say so, pal.”

Gumshoe looked uncertain, but seemed just as uneasy at the idea of making all those calls himself. It all made Phoenix really wish he could properly remember the two of them. They seemed to care a lot about him.

“Actually, Gumshoe?”

“Yeah?”

“Could you take me to the WAA? Trucy should be there.”

The name didn't ring any bells for Phoenix, but apparently Gumshoe understood.

The police captain softened, nodding, “Of course.”

…

The drive was a quiet one. The streets were mostly empty this time of night. Phoenix watched with Maya quietly as she watched the orange streetlights blur past the tinted windows. They almost reminded him of the cores.

Meanwhile, his anxiety from earlier grew again as they drew nearer the WAA. He felt like the most awkward third wheel, being surrounded by grieving people he did not actually know, even though they were grieving about _him_. He sincerely hoped that Maya was right and being around his old things would help bring back his memories. He couldn't stand being in the dark much longer.

Maya's anxiety seemed to be back as well, although he could not think of any words of comfort at that moment. She clutched harder at her magatama necklace as they came to a stop in front of an office building.

Gumshoe watched Maya step out of his old cruiser with knitted brows, “You sure you don't want me to come with you?”

Maya gave him a weak smile, “It's getting late, Gumshoe. Go ahead and get some sleep.”

He nodded, still looking tired and unhappy, “Alright. Good luck, pal.”

She and Phoenix watched him leave, the cruiser squeaking as it turned the corner. Maya took a deep breath, steadying herself, looking as tired as Gumshoe, before finally mounting the steps to the building.

Phoenix didn't really know what to expect once they were inside.

He hoped for memories...

Something familiar...

He had a daughter, apparently. A daughter he couldn't remember. He didn't know what to think or feel about that, other than nervous.

Maybe sad?

But then Maya seemed to be carrying enough sadness for the both of them.

It felt strange mourning a person he didn't remember.

Maya hesitated as she approached an office door proudly labeled 'Wright Anything Agency'. Her steps had grown slower, and she muttered to herself, as if deciding what she would say.

Suddenly though, she stopped, and looked up into the air, “Nick, you still there?”

“Right here, Maya.”

Her lips twitched in a small smile at the response. However she could no longer prolong the inevitable.

She wiped her face on her flowing sleeve and gave the door a couple solid knocks.

There was a moment of rustling beyond the door before a young woman wearing a...rather interesting outfit opened the door.

Maya managed a genuine smile, “Hey, Truce. Did I wake you?”

The other girl beamed when she saw Maya, all bright blue eyes and white teeth, “Nope! I actually just got back from a gig.”

_(That explains the cape and gloves...I guess?)_

“But wait,” Trucy tilted her head, “I thought Daddy went to visit you for the weekend, what are you doing here?”

Maya's smile faltered, her fingers went to curl tight around the magatama.

Trucy's smile slowly fell as well, leaving a surprisingly serious looking young woman in her place. Her grip tightened on the door under her white gloves as her eyes flitted all over Maya's form.

Somehow Phoenix got the impression that this Trucy saw more than most people.

“Something happened, didn’t it?”

…

Trucy had gone mute as she led Maya into the office-turned-apartment. To her credit, she didn't tear up once while listening to Maya's story, however she had become pale, and lost a lot of the energy Phoenix had first seen from her.

He opted to give them some privacy, leaving them huddled on the couch to explore the apartment as Maya spoke. Luckily there were a lot of cores to busy himself with. It was strange though, Maya had said he was a lawyer, so he expected to walk into a law office. However every surface seemed to have been taken over by magic props. If this was a law office, it was the weirdest one he had ever seen.

He didn't risk moving anything, not wanting to be discovered until Maya had a chance to explain his...interesting situation. Instead he merely flitted between cores to the other room, the main office, climbing up stacks of magic cards and through a disappearing cabinet until he managed to find a desk under a cage with a couple doves sleeping inside. Assuming the desk was his, he started there, moving on to the law books in the glass-cased bookshelves. Realizing that most of them were actually books on magic and illusions, he moved on to the computer sitting idle hoping it might have something useful like pictures on it. As the mouse, he was able to randomly click through a few programs. However all he found was a very outdated computer full of case files and a couple free apps for card games.

He frowned to himself when nothing seemed familiar.

_(You'd think I would remember a place as strange as this one...)_

Noticing the sudden stillness of the office, he abandoned his futile search to zigzag back to Trucy and Maya.

He found them still curled up together on a couch, Trucy snug against Maya in a startling parallel to what he had seen at the police station with Gumshoe. Maya gently stroked the younger's hair, while Trucy seemed to be looking off blankly at the wall, worrying the jeweled clasp on her cape as she digested what Maya had told her.

With a deep sigh, Maya lifted her head from where it had been resting on Trucy's hair, looking at the time on the wall clock.

“It's really late now,” she said softly, “I still need to call Edgeworth, Apollo, and Athena and tell them what happened, at least.”

Maya sat up, rousing Trucy. However the younger girl gripped at her arm as she reached into her pocket for her phone, “Oh, let me call Polly.”

Maya raised her eyebrows, “A-are you sure? You really don’t have to.”

Trucy shook her head, fingers fiddling with the clasp on her cape again mindlessly, “No, it’s okay… Daddy was really important to Polly, and he knows me a little bit better. It might be better for both of us if we got to talk it out…”

Maya softened at that, pulling Trucy into another hug, “Okay, if that’s what you want. I’ll be over in here calling everyone else then.”

Maya and Phoenix watched as Trucy retreated into her room to call her half-brother. Maya sighed, digging out her own phone and flopping back onto the couch. She stared at the keypad for a while, her thumb hovered without dialing.

“Jeez. How did you manage to do all of this after Mia died, Nick?”

“Huh?” Phoenix looked hard at Maya’s downcast face.

She gave him a watery smile from his perch in her magatama as she wiped at her damp eyes with her palms, “Sorry, I keep forgetting that you don’t remember. You sound as dopey and clueless as ever, you know.”

If Phoenix still had a heart, he was certain it would have broken.

“I’m so sorry, Maya…”

“Don’t be,” she shook her head, “One thing at a time. Let me just make these calls. We’ll figure out a plan in the morning…it'll be okay, we've been through worse...”

Something in her voice made him doubt that. With newly stoked determination, Phoenix set out to explore the apartment once again with vigor while Maya talked on the phone. Getting his memories back seemed more than imperative now. Not only for himself, but for the others as well.

The office hadn't had anything to jog his memory, but maybe the living area did?

He didn't bother being discrete as he got desperate. He allowed himself to fiddle with the blinds, start the electric tea kettle, scatter a couple papers on the coffee table. Maya gave him a look as he shuffled a pack of cards while she talked.

_(C'mon, there has to be something here...)_

He was jumping through family pictures on the wall when he latched onto a large potted plant to continue to the next room when it happened.

He found himself frozen. With a jolt, he could see a much different version of the office. Not even his office yet technically. A memory flashed in his eye, it was dark but he could see a women with long hair slumped under the windowsill, plant toppled over and glass scattered everywhere in the beam of light from the window. He remembers the scent of blood clearly. It was another murder, he realized. A young girl was hunched over next to her crying, straight black bangs in her watery eyes.

“Hey, Nick.”

The voice shook him out of the flashback.

He was in the present, looking at those same black bangs.

“You still there?”

Her face was more angular, less soft with age.

But it was her.

He _knew_ her.

“Mia was your sister... the one you mentioned earlier...”

Maya's eyes widened, she suddenly shot up to her feet, “What?”

“Mia...she was the reason we met...”

Even as he spoke, memories came to him one after another, like one of the magic scarves Trucy had. Years of cases, jokes, tears...

“ _Maya_...”

The spirit medium simply smiled, looking tired but relieved, “Figures Charley would come in handy one day.”

Phoenix beamed. The more he looked, the more items seemed to jump out at him, more familiar than before. A piano in the corner. The beanie sitting on a top shelf. An abandoned red suit jacket still laid over the back of the office couch. It was all like hearing a childhood story again after years as an adult.

“It's still fuzzy, but... I think I'm really starting to remember things, Maya.”

“That's great, Nick! I'm happy for you.”

“Trucy is going to be happy to hear, I bet,” Phoenix mussed. It wasn't exactly the ideal relationship to have with his daughter, being a ghost, but at least now they wouldn't be completely apart.

Maya frowned, suddenly serious, “Hold on a sec there, Nick. I think we should wait to tell her about you, ah, catching a case of the 'Phoenix'.”

Phoenix blinked, “You don't want to tell her about me?”

Maya nodded firmly, “We shouldn’t. Not yet anyway, maybe tomorrow. As a master spirit medium I can say from experience that you have to give people time before you introduce the spirit stuff to them. I just gave her a whole bunch of bad news. Right now she’s hurting and probably confused. She won’t show it, but she’s grieving hard.”

Her words were like a flash of lightning, briefly illuminating the images of previously forgotten memories. Forged evidence. A disappearing client. A cold Russian restaurant. A seven year long chase ending with a grape juice bottle to the head.

He remembered that he wasn’t the first parent Trucy had lost.

Maya’s brows furrowed at his sudden silence, “Nick? You still okay there?”

“...I want to hug my kid…”

Maya looked startled at the sincere desperate admission. She smiled sadly at him, looking into the empty air, “I know…”

Down the hall a door opened. Maya straightened up just as Trucy came back into the room, now wearing a pair of shorts and an old t-shirt as pajamas. Her hair was down as well, slightly falling in her face as she looked at the ground.

Maya patted the cushion next to her, “Hey, kid. How’d it go with Apollo?”

Trucy lifted her face in a halfhearted smile as she slipped down next to Maya, “My ears are still ringing from all the crying, but he had quieted down by the time I hung up.”

Maya sniffed a small laugh, “Yeah, Athena was about the same.”

They stared in silence at their reflections in the TV sat across from them, not daring to move for several moments.

“...I don't think I can sleep tonight,” Trucy admitted.

“...Me neither,” Maya wrapped one arm around the younger girl's shoulders.

The sound of the ticking clock filled the apartment.

“You know, I could go for a Steel Samurai marathon right about now, what about you?”

Trucy nodded mutely.

Maya gave her a squeeze before reaching for the remote.

The theme tune washed over Phoenix like a wave, letting even more memories bob to the surface. Maya seemed to be reminiscing as well, the way she clutched Trucy a little tighter.

They were about halfway through the third episode when the tears finally started to fall. Face shining, Trucy buried herself in Maya's side.

Phoenix watched as Maya ran a hand soothing down her shaking back until finally, eventually, in the early hours of the morning, they managed to fall asleep.

…

 


	3. 8:22 AM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Remember me, for soon I will be gone,  
> Remember me, and let the love we have live on,  
> Know that I'm with you the only way that I can be,  
> Until you're in my arms again,  
> Remember Me'  
> -Pixar's Coco

Despite only getting a couple hours of sleep, Maya seemed wide awake as she banged cupboards around noisily in the small kitchen, gathering a precarious armful of bowls, spoons, and a waffle iron. Phoenix watched her, mildly bemused, from a perch in a tea kettle on the stove. He had spent most of the night like this, watching over the girls and flitting between cores after he found he couldn't actually sleep.

Without a body to weigh him down, he almost considered going off to start investigating himself. Seeing Trucy and getting most of his memories back made him all the more determined to find out who had taken his life away from him, and why. However, he resisted the urge, as he promised Maya he would stay close, and conversely his memories made it difficult to want to leave them alone.

Trucy padded into the kitchen, uncharacteristically quiet, and rubbed her eyes as she took a seat at the round dining table. Maya flashed her a bright grin, turning when she heard Trucy's chair scrape against the checkered vinyl floor.

“'Morning, Truce!”

“G'morning...” Trucy gave her own weak smile in greeting as Maya began measuring out the waffle mix into the largest bowl, “I thought you would have left to help the police.”

“The Detention Center doesn't open until 9,” Maya said, still grinning, “So I thought I would just help myself to the waffle iron I gave you guys last year, as it is always Waffle Time.”

Phoenix rolled his incorporeal eyes while Trucy giggled softly. However, her moments of smiling and laughing were short lived; her small weary face fell again as she watched Maya.

Although the girl had a habit of staying up late practicing and rehearsing in the past, Phoenix didn't think Trucy had ever looked more tired or run down than she did then. The artificial lights made the bags under Trucy's eyes stand out, and her hair was particularly messy after sleeping against Maya on the couch. Her normally bright eyes were bleary and owlish.

“Waffles do sound good...I didn't realize we had another box of waffle mix,” she said as Maya began whisking in water.

Maya gave a knowing smirk, “I may or may not have a secret stash of food in your pantry for such occasions that I come over.”

Trucy said nothing as Maya began to drip the finished batter onto the hot iron. Phoenix couldn't smell, but he could imagine clearly the scent of golden brown delights beginning to fill the kitchen.

_(It kinda reminds me of the one time I-)_

“You know,” Trucy started, smiling faintly, “The first time we used the waffle iron, Daddy burned the waffle? It set off all the smoke alarms in the building; the fire department got called and everything.”

Maya smiled warmly, “That sounds like Nick.”

_(Hey!)_

Trucy continued, leaning against her elbow on the table, “Worse part was the smell though. The apartment smelled like smoky waffles for weeks. We got so many weird looks from clients that came in. Polly attacked the place with at least three cans of air freshener, but I think Daddy's suit still kinda smells like it... It was a mess,” Trucy smiled slightly, fondly, “But I kinda ended up liking that smell.”

Maya's face fell. She stared soberly at the younger girl across the table as the timer on the waffle iron dinged brightly. Maya silently pried the waffle out with a fork, passing it on a plate to Trucy. Neither seemed able to look nor speak to each other, as a somber cloud of grief passed over.

While neither were new at all to the experience of loss, it didn't make acknowledging the elephant in the room any easier.

Maya poured batter for another waffle.

Phoenix appreciated that she had been staying positive for Trucy, but they both knew that Maya had to face that elephant sooner or later.

Several slow minutes and one cooked waffle later, Maya took her time lathering it liberally in syrup, brow furrowed in thought as she chose her next words carefully. She sat across from Trucy, who hadn't made a move toward her waffle besides staring down at it. When Maya did speak, her voice was low and sincere.

“I'm sorry, Trucy. I wish I could fix everything so you didn't have to deal with this,” she said, “But just know that me and everyone else is here for you. Even the police. I think everyone in the police department knows Nick at this point; so I can promise you that they're going to do their very best on this case.”

Trucy seemed so small and fragile, in her chair in the corner of the kitchen. She didn't give much of a reaction to Maya's reassurance, apart from a small nod and a quiet 'thank you' before pouring some syrup over her own waffle.

As Trucy began to take a bite, Maya frowned.

“Or, you know, I don't have to go. I could stay here for the day, as long as you want me to, even.”

Trucy shook her head, “That's okay. You should go help investigate. I'll be fine here. I was just going to stay in the apartment today, maybe call Pearl...”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Maya nodded, “I haven't talked to Pearl yet myself. I should try calling Edgeworth again too. I only got his voicemail last night...”

“I also need to get my prop trunk ready for my show tomorrow night...” Trucy mused.

Maya looked a little taken back, “Wait, you're doing a show tomorrow?”

Trucy nodded, “Yeah, like I do most nights.”

“Isn't that a little...soon?”

“The show must go on,” The magician shrugged, much too nonchalant, “I still need to pay bills. Luckily, I was already making most of the bank around here, but I still need to work to keep the agency.”

Maya clearly looked uncomfortable, poking around her waffle with her fork, “I suppose that makes sense... but you have other things to think about right now, I don't want you worrying about money.”

If Phoenix didn't know his daughter's tells so well, he might have missed the subtle way she bit her lip, or the passive iciness that invaded her eyes, “It's not a worry.”

Maya dropped her fork at that, staring solemnly down the table at Trucy, while the other seemed very interested in her next bite of waffle. Maya sighed, “I just don't want you just losing yourself in your work. Look, I know you don't like talking about this kind of stuff-”

“Maya. I'm fine.”

The kitchen stilled, save for the steady soft ticking of the wall clock. The girls locked eyes across the table. Trucy's gaze was uncharacteristically hard, Maya's was just pained.

“Trucy...I know you aren't. And that's okay.”

The magician began to crack at that. She tore her eyes away, hands reflexively moved to fiddle with the clasp on the cape she wasn't wearing. When she finally did speak, her voice was strangely hollow, “...I can see how worried you are, and how hard you're trying to hide it...Maybe I'm not fine. But you're just as hurt as me,” Trucy said, “So what if I work or eat waffles...no matter what we do, it won't change what's happened...it won't bring Daddy back...”

Phoenix watched his daughter, agonized, as she seemed to crumble in on herself, drawing her hands near her chest as the tears she had managed to bravely hold back finally began to leak. Maya's hands clenched the edge of the table, knuckles white. Trucy's shoulders shook as a sob managed to escape.

It was too much for Phoenix. He moved from the teapot, to a chair, and then to Maya. The spirit medium didn't react to his presence as he faced her in the swirling liminal space.

“Maya, please...tell her I'm here...tell her she's not alone.”

She opened her mouth as if to speak, before closing it and looking away. Before Phoenix could say anything else, she had waved him off. He found himself cast aside as Maya quietly stood from her chair and approached the crying girl.

“C'mere, kid.”

Trucy blinked tearfully at Maya's open arms, hesitating only a moment before falling into them. She buried her face into her robes, crying without restraint.

Phoenix could only watch, helpless, as Maya stroked Trucy's hair, murmuring apologies over and over, “I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...”

Trucy wiped her streaked cheeks with her palm, shaking her head, “It's okay...I know you're just trying to help me...”

Maya sighed, suddenly dropping her arms, “It's just that...Nick died because of me. It's my fault.”

Trucy looked stunned, watching Maya with wide eyes as she continued, “You're right, Truce. I am worried. I want to make things right for Nick's sake. He died protecting me; I owe it to him. And you. I've hurt you too, in all this. I just wanted to watch out for you for Nick.”

_(Maya...)_

“Waffles may not bring Nick back, but I hope after the investigation I can get him justice. And that sounds about as good as we can do right now.”

Now it was Trucy's turn to comfort Maya. She hugged her around the middle warmly. Maya didn't reciprocate at first, but after a moment she relented and gently patted Trucy on the back with a heavy sigh. The magician suddenly pulled back to look at Maya in the face, eyes sharp like they usually were.

“I would never blame you.”

“...”

“Tell you what, if I cancel the show tomorrow night, will you promise me you'll stop beating yourself up about what happened?”

“.....I'll try, kiddo...”

The two quietly beamed at each other. Trucy bounced on the balls of her feet, looking much more like herself since Maya had arrived.

“Let's finish these waffles so you can go and get that justice for Daddy!”

Maya nodded, “I like the way you think.”

Consoled, they sat down and tackled their breakfast with renewed vigor. Phoenix watched them eat, stunned but eternally grateful to Maya.

Trucy looked up, “You know, I could go for some tea right about now.”

_(Urk!)_

Maya suddenly looked sheepish, chuckling weakly as she threw a side-glance at the stove, “Eh, I don't feel like dealing with the teapot right now, how about milk instead?”

Trucy shrugged and took another sticky bite. Maya and Phoenix let out a mirrored sigh of relief.

However, the peace was quickly thwarted as there was a loud bang as the front door sounded like it was literally and enthusiastically kicked open, “TRUCYY? _MS. FEEEEY?_ ”

“I-in the kitchen…” Maya wheezed as she warded off a mild heart attack. She had very little time to recover as a yellow clad hurricane burst into the room, sweeping both her and Trucy into a rib-cracking embrace. Luckily in all the commotion no one noticed Phoenix as the teapot jump a couple inches off the stove in shock at the noise.

“I’m _sooo_ sorry I took so long! I got here as fast as I could!”

“It’s alright, Athena,” Trucy chuckled, returning the hug.

“Honestly, if you came at all, I wouldn’t have expected your flight to arrive until, like, tonight, at the earliest. How did you even get here all the way from Europe in… _how many_ hours?” Maya asked incredulously.

“It doesn’t matter now…” Athena sagged, loosening her grip to let them go.

She wasn’t able to meet their eyes as she spoke, instead gripping the sleeve on her pantsuit, “I still can’t get my head around it… It’s true, isn’t it? About the Boss… he’s really gone?”

Trucy ducked her face away as well, as Athena’s eyes began to water.

Maya bowed her head, “Yes, it’s true. Nick is dead…”

The cloud of grief shadowed the kitchen again. Even Widget had gone dark blue with emotion, its small robot face silently wailing in agony. But the silence did not last long. A slap of fist against hand startled both Maya and Trucy. When they looked up, Athena greeted them with a grim but determined smirk as she punched her palm.

“Alright, so what's the plan? What happens next?”

“ _We're raring to go!_ ” Widget chirped.

“You mean you want to help with the investigation?” Maya asked.

“Sure! Anything to help the Boss! There's going to be a trial right?”

“Right,” Maya nodded, “One of my students has been arrested for attacking me and Nick at Kurain Village. I gave the police my statement last night, so they should be doing their investigation today for the trial tomorrow. I was going to go to meet Marigold in the detention center, then go to Kurain to watch over the investigation since they were probably wanting to search through Marigold's room. I was also hoping to go get some answers of my own...about why this all happened...”

“I see...” Athena tapped her earring thoughtfully, “Sounds pretty open and shut to me, kinda glad we can get to wrap this case up quickly though.”

Maya winced, “It...may not be that easy.”

“What do you mean?”

She hesitated a moment before deciding to just rip off the band-aid, “Well, see, I was actually wanting to help _defend_ my student, Marigold.”

There was a beat of apprehensive silence as Trucy and Athena both looked at Maya like she had just suggested they go out and club baby seals. They both suddenly started talking at once before Widget let out a tiny robotic screech, which silenced them enough for Trucy to speak, “You told me you were there, you saw it happen. Now are you trying to say she _didn't_ do it?”

“Not exactly...” Maya said defensively, “I just think it's not as simple as it seems.”

“I'm sorry, Ms. Fey,” Athena frowned, “But from what I've heard so far, it kind of does.”

Maya stood firm, her thin brows knit under her dark hair, “I have my reasons for believing in my student.”

Phoenix couldn't help but notice Maya's gray eyes flit over to his teapot.

Although she was rendered speechless, the gears turning in Trucy's head were almost audible as she slumped back to her chair. Meanwhile, Athena bit her lip, obviously still unconvinced.

The defense attorney sighed, “Marigold deserves a fair trial, but I just don't get you wanting to help defend her after what you saw her do to you...to Mr. Wright... Shouldn't we be helping the prosecution on this one?”

“...”

Maya opened her mouth as if to speak but then closed it with a sigh. An uncomfortable silence stretched as she found herself lost for a more reasonable explanation than 'a ghost told me to do it'.

Phoenix watched nervously. He hadn't really thought about convincing other people outside Maya to defend Marigold. He should have known better than to think everyone would go along with his plan. What would happen if Athena didn't cooperate?

“...Maya?”

Maya blinked at the quiet voice. The magician was watching her now with hard deliberate eyes, “Yeah, Truce?”

“You said you wanted justice right? For Daddy?”

Maya nodded, “That's right. But more than that, I also want the truth. And the truth is that I can't imagine my student wanting to hurt me or Nick. You two should have seen her face when the police arrested her...”

It had been a pitiful sight. Two acolytes had lifted Marigold out of the pile of cleaning supplies by the arm and carried her off to a spare room to be held while they waited for police. However, she had put up no fight, no resistance, just limply let herself be carted off, as if in a daze.

Phoenix could still recall the glint of her tear-stained face in the police lights as they led her away. It had been that moment, seeing the horror and disbelief on Marigold's face, that he began to realize something was wrong. He saw none of his callous, assured shooter, but instead a young woman scared numb and speechless. He felt none of the justice he should have felt for having his murderer apprehended. He wasn't sure how, but he was positive she wasn't entirely guilty. If nothing else, she was hiding something.

Maya seemed to have come to the same conclusion as she shook her head sadly, “She's a friend. I can't leave her alone without investigating first.”

Athena frowned, gripping her sleeve again, “I was worried you would say something like that.”

“Huh?” Maya cocked her head.

“Ms. Fey, I know better than anybody how emotions can affect a person.” Athena said carefully.

“Your tells have been going crazy too.” Trucy added.

Maya immediately stopped picking at her wrist bands, looking away guiltily.

Athena pushed on, “You're hiding something, and your emotions are all over the place. I think it's safe to say you're emotionally compromised right now.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Maya frowned.

“Hey, I'm not judging, especially after what you just went through,” Athena held up her hands, “But I just don't think that you're thinking clearly.”

Maya held her ground with pursed lips, “...What are you trying to say?”

“Weeellll,” Athena suddenly turned around, twirling a lock of her long red hair around her palm, “I...think maybe you're trying to cover for Marigold.”

Maya sputtered, “Hey, that's not-!”

“It's understandable!” Athena wrung her hair more vigorously. She avoided Maya's eyes now and her voice began picking up speed, as if anxious for the conversation to end, “Please, don't be mad! Heck, Boss stuck his neck out for me when _I_ was on the stand. I can admire you standing up for your student, and I know you care about Mr. Wright. But...”

“...But, what?”

Athena suddenly stopped, hands falling to her sides with a sigh. They clenched into fists, “I gotta stand up for my teacher.”

With determined but downcast eyes, Athena turned her back to them.

“You said you wanted justice for the Boss. I do too. I...I just can't help you...not like this...”

She began to walk toward the door.

Maya was stunned into silence, while Phoenix desperately wished to cry out aloud.

“Athena, wait! It's not Maya's fault! _Wait!_ ”

He couldn't let Athena leave. He couldn't let them turn against Maya because of _his_ mere hunch.

Luckily the door was within his limited range from the stove.

Just as Athena was about to pass the threshold, the door abruptly swung close with a solid bang. Athena yelped, jumping back, grasping at her heart. She turned around just in time to see the nearest kitchen chair pull itself out, loudly scraping against the floor, as if inviting her to sit.

Athena and Trucy shared wide-eyed stares. Maya just grimaced sheepishly.

“I think you should probably come have a seat, Athena,” Maya said.

Athena looked startlingly like the Judge as she blinked at Maya, stupefied. She promptly plopped down in the chair, hands gripping the edge of the seat hard, as if worried it would start moving on its own again.

“Trucy, that wouldn't have been one of your magic tricks...would it?”

Trucy shook her head vigorously, still wide-eyed, “N-no, not any of my tricks,”

Athena gulped, turning to Maya, “M-ms. Fey? Any chance you got any super cool spirit powers when you became Master and can make stuff move by itself?”

Maya shook her head. As her nervousness faded away, she had to bite back a grin at their two dumbstruck expressions, “Nope. Wasn't me.”

Athena spun around, looking back and forth from the door across the kitchen to the chair, “Then what just-?”

Phoenix sniffed a small laugh, jumping up from the chair, to the salt shaker, then to Maya.

“Sorry, I just had to do something,” he apologized.

Maya shrugged, smiling lightly, “It's okay. They were going to find out about you sooner or later.”

In the physical world, Maya folded her hands on the table, “I have something I need to tell you two. It may sound strange, but I promise it's real, okay?”

The other two girls simply blinked owlishly at her, Athena looked up from where she was feeling around the chair for invisible thread.

“It's true,” Maya began, “Nick is dead,” she sucked in a breath, “But… I wouldn’t say he’s _gone_ , per say.”

Trucy frowned, “What do you mean?”

Meanwhile, Athena began to start sniffling loudly, “I know, Ms. Fey!” she wept, “Boss was a great guy, and he’s gonna live in our hearts forever. I’ll think about him every time I have to present my badge to witnesses.”

“I mean literally,” Maya said, “Nick is here. Like a ghost.”

Athena abruptly sobered up, hands flying to her cheeks, “What?”

Trucy stood, hands braced against the table, “Are you serious?”

Maya nodded, explaining how he had been there since last night, following her around through manipulating objects.

“You mean Daddy was the one that moved the chair just now?”

“Yeah,” Maya affirmed, “I can also talk to him. He was the one that wanted to investigate the case more, and defend Marigold.”

Trucy gave a small fond smile, “That does sound like Daddy.”

“But wait,” Athena crossed her arms, “If he's been here the whole time, why didn't you tell us?”

“Oh, um,” Maya fiddled with her magatama awkwardly, avoiding Athena's scrutinizing gaze, “I wanted to wait. When Nick came to, he didn't remember a whole lot. I didn't want to get your hopes up or confuse you. I wanted to give you some time before springing the whole ghost thing on you.”

“He... doesn't remember us?” Trucy asked.

Maya shot her a reassuring smile, “It took a little bit, but he remembers you, Trucy. And I haven't asked, but I bet he remembers you too, Athena. Not to worry.”

Trucy seemed to be mulling this over, but Athena still didn't look convinced with her hands braced against her hips.

“I dunno...”

“You don't believe me?”

“I mean I know you're a spirit medium and everything, so I shouldn't really be surprised. But...I think I might need more proof than slamming doors.”

Maya tapped her chin, “Hmm, wait here. I think I have something...”

She went into the next room, and came back with a pack of playing cards.

“Nick was messing around with these last night. Much more impressive than a door!” she placed the cards on the table, “Alright, do your stuff, Nick!”

Phoenix rolled his eyes but obeyed. Whatever to get Maya out of hot water with the other two.

Trucy and Athena watched the cards carefully, bending so they were eye level with the table. Maya folded her arms smugly as the cards cut themselves into two stacks, before shuffling neatly as if by invisible hands.

Athena gasped, “Th-that...that was...”

“Pretty convincing huh?” Maya smirked.

The defense attorney promptly collected herself, straightening up, “Maybe...if these weren't Trucy's magic trick cards...”

Trucy pouted, “I dunno, Athena. I didn't do anything just then. I don't even know how to make cards move like that on their own.”

“Yeah,” Maya puffed out her cheeks, “That was a ghost trick, not a magic trick! I swear I'm telling the truth!”

“I'm sorry, Ms. Fey. I'm a lady of science. It's my duty to question everything.”

“Athena,” Maya deadpanned, “You are able to hear people's emotions just through their voice. You are currently wearing a tiny computer that can read your thoughts.”

“Because _science_!”

As Maya was pinching the bridge of her nose, Phoenix jumped up to her.

“Maya, I have another idea.”

“Huh?”

From the outside it looked like Maya had paused in thought, frowning down at the table. Athena and Trucy looked at her confusedly, when suddenly though she broke into a smile, “Oh, yeah, good idea!”

“What is?”

Maya turned toward Athena, “What if I told you something that only Nick and you would know? Would that convince you Nick is here?”

Athena blinked, “Uh, sure. I guess.”

“Alright, wait here,” Maya's face relaxed, as her eyes closed it almost looked like she was meditating in her chair.

Athena cocked her head, confused, “Wait for-?”

Maya's eyes suddenly sprang open, she grinned widely, “Got it!”

“Got _what?_ What just happened?”

Maya didn't answer, silencing the defense attorney with an enthusiastic finger point, “Nick says that you have a game that's been going on ever since you switched neckties with Apollo, trying to see how long it takes him to notice. Even when you left the office to go abroad, you would always ask one another if Apollo called about the tie. The current tally is 510 days since the Great Tie-Switch.”

Athena gaped like a fish out of water, struggling for a retort, a contradiction. Instead after a moment she merely cracked, eyes shimmering and hands clutching her heart as she began to bawl loudly, “ _Booosssss!_ ”

Phoenix let out a satisfied sigh.

_(Finally...)_

He zigzagged over to his teapot again. Maya followed, gently setting it back on the table. Trucy seemed to follow the implications, looking down at the kettle with a new sense of wonder.

“ _Daddy_...”

Athena sniffed, “I'm sorry I doubted you, Ms. Fey...you too, Mr. Wright...”

Maya shook her head, “It's alright. I get it. Wouldn't be much of a lawyer if you believed everything people told you, would you?”

Athena let out a weak watery laugh, as she wiped her eyes. When she turned back to Maya, she looked as bright-eyed and bushy tailed as ever, “I'm happy to help you investigate. Whatever you need, just name it!”

Maya clasped her hands, bouncing on the balls of her feet, “Awesome! I'm glad. Actually, now that you mention it, I don't think Marigold has a defense attorney yet.”

“Say no more!” the yellow attorney punched her fist, face split in a blinding grin, “I'm on it! Let's go get some real justice. For Marigold! For the Boss!”

“For the Boss,” Maya nodded softly.

Trucy whooped, wearing an identical smile, as she hugged the teapot to her chest.

Phoenix beamed, unseen.

_(I really do have a good group here, don't I?)_

“Oh wait,” Athena suddenly turned toward the teapot seriously, “Boss, you’re okay with me defending, right? I mean, it is your murder, and it feels weird not asking, so…”

Phoenix chuckled. He had really missed Athena.

He turned to Maya, “Tell Athena that I have complete faith in her and it’s okay. Also, she would probably steamroll over all of us anyway if I said no.”

Athena clasped her hands brightly as Maya relayed the message, “Aw Boss, you _do_ remember me!”

…

The spirit medium was fiddling with her magatama again as they waited for the guards to bring in Marigold. The detention center had hardly been opened when they arrived, so it was taking a little more time than normal. At least, that was what Phoenix kept telling Maya when she pestered him about how long it was taking the guards to come back. He couldn't really blame her for being anxious though. He wasn't sure what to expect once that door was opened himself. Phoenix wasn't sure who was more nervous, him or Maya.

Maya leaned over, nearly knocking her head against Athena as she looked over the defense attorney's shoulder at the case file she had been reading, “So, how does it look?”

Athena closed the manila folder, grimacing sheepishly, “Weeeellll...I mean, at least the forensic reports haven't been fully completed, so there's still a chance we can catch a break at the scene.”

Maya deflated, “So we got nothing, huh?”

“Not an inch of give.”

“ _Uuuuuggggghhhhhh_....”

Maya let her head fall back and hang over the chair, her hair beads swinging freely as she groaned.

“It's too early to get discouraged. We still have time,” Phoenix reassured her, “We've gotten out of tougher cases than this.”

“You're right. I forgot all those other times we had to solve your murder.”

“Hey, sarcasm is my schtick.”

Maya simply groaned again.

Phoenix rolled his eyes, but said nothing. Instead he focused on sending more positive emotions across the liminal space.

After a moment of wallowing, Maya faced him again as a spirit, head bowed, “Sorry. I guess I just got really nervous about what Marigold is going to say. They say they found gun residue on her hands. With that and my testimony, I don't know how we're going to help her.”

Phoenix nodded thoughtfully, “Don't forget, Maya. We are here for the truth. The truth may be that Marigold really is entirely guilty.”

The spirit medium's shoulders slumped, “That almost worries me more than her being not guilty.”

Phoenix retreated to Maya's magatama as the door to the detention center visiting room finally opened.

Athena looked up from where she was polishing her badge as one officer entered first. After a moment, Marigold followed behind with another officer.

The acolyte barely gave them a passing, but at once did a double take when she noticed Maya sitting on the other side of the glass.

Maya offered a small but genuine smile, “Hey, there, Goldie.”

Marigold just paused in her tracks, gaping at Maya. However a small nudge from the guard shook her out of her stupor. She trained her eyes at the ground again, mouth tight, and wordlessly took a seat. None of them dared moved as the guards left them alone in the small room. The closing door echoed down the hall outside. The camera in the corner blinked red.

Maya was the one to break the tension, “So, have they been treating you okay here?”

Marigold did not look up. Her hair, despite it's bright color, looked limp and decrepit. Her eyebags were dark, like she hadn't slept at all, and her skin looked paler making her dusting of freckles stand out.

When Marigold did speak, she spoke to the floor, “The guards told me a defense lawyer wanted to talk to me about my case...”

Athena beamed, unperturbed, “That's right! You can just call me Athena,” the attorney flashed her badge happily, “Do you mind if we talk for a bit?”

“I guess not,” Marigold's voice was rough, “But...Mystic Maya, what are you doing here with the defense attorney?”

Maya smirked, “I'm kinda on the defense team, actually.”

 _That_ finally made Marigold look up at Maya, “What?!”

Athena nodded, “Actually, Maya here was the one who told me about your case, and asked me to help you.”

Marigold blinked, stunned. She bit her lip, wringing her hands in her lap. Her eyes fell again when she couldn't seem to stand their earnest faces any longer.

“You mean...even after I...I.....”

Her small frame began to shake as she curled into herself, wrapping her arms around tightly, as if physically trying to hold herself together. But it was like trying to hold back a geyser from eruption. Hot tears began to leak.

“M-marigold?” Maya called softly.

Marigold wept hard, sobs that had been held back for hours now came all at once. Her orange hair hung thick in her face as she bowed her head into her hands, babbling wetly, “I'm sorry, Mystic Maya.....so sorry....sorry...sorry.....I'm so sorry.....”

Athena winced, rubbing one of her ears subtly.

Maya frowned, leaning towards the glass, gentle, “Marigold. Listen to me. It's alright. You're my student, and I'm going to do my best to help you, okay?”

Marigold shook her head tearfully, “I appreciate your kindness so much, Mystic Maya...but it's no use...at my trial, I'm going to ask for a guilty verdict.”

Athena jumped in, “Whoa, hold on! We still have time. The investigation's barely begun, there's still plenty of time to turn this around.”

Marigold just wept harder, “Please...Mystic Maya, you saw me...I killed...I killed...”

As Marigold bowed her head in shame, sobbing, Phoenix never felt more sure in his suspicions that this young woman was not truly his murderer. Judging from Maya and Athena's set jaws, they were thinking the same thing.

“Marigold,” Maya said with a firm determination, “Why did you do it?”

“Huh?” the acolyte sniffled, blinking hard in shock.

“If you're truly guilty, then you should have a motive.”

Marigold wiped at her face as she thought. She let her shoulders slump with a sigh, “...I don't know why I did what I did...I don't remember...”

“You don't remember?”

“...”

“What _do_ you remember from last night?” Athena asked.

Marigold bit her lip, fidgeting, but said nothing.

Maya leaned forward, meeting her eyes, “Marigold...I believe in you.”

The acolyte gasped, stiffening at once in her chair.

“I know you wouldn't hurt me. I want to try and help you work this out. But only if you let us. Please...”

Maya smiled softly as Marigold finally, finally met her eyes. Even though she continued to sniffle, and her eyes still streamed, Marigold's heaving breaths calmed down.

“......okay.”

Maya nodded encouragingly, “Thank you! Now, last night you had dinner with me and Nick. Then you left early. Can you tell us where you went?”

“Oh!” Marigold curled one copper colored strand of hair around her finger in thought, “That I actually do remember. Kinda. I went to Sister Aoi's room.”

“Aoi?” Maya cocked her head, “What were you doing there?”

The copper hair sprang as she released it.

“...That part I can't say...besides it's probably nothing...”

_(If I had a dollar for every time I've heard that...)_

“What happened after you got to the room?” Athena asked, pencil scratching as she took notes.

“Um...I think maybe Aoi showed up a little later?”

“Aoi did leave the table not long after you did,” Maya remarked, tapping her cheek.

“I think I remember us talking for a bit and then...and then...next thing I knew, I was in the hallway, and...” Marigold sagged sadly, wringing the sleeves of her pale robe, “Poor Mr. Wright...”

They all looked up as the door suddenly opened. Maya and Athena turned around as another officer stepped in.

“There's a visitor for Ms. Fey waiting in the hallway.”

“O-oh?” Maya frowned, “Can it wait?”

“I would say no,” the officer replied, stiffly formal.

Maya pouted, “Hmmph. I guess I'll be back a little later.”

“I can keep questioning Marigold. No problem!”

“Thanks, Athena.”

Flashing a reassuring smile to Marigold, Maya stood to leave. She could hear Athena's bright voice as she closed the door, “So you sounded especially surprised when Aoi came back to the room. Plus I'm also getting hints of-”

The florescent lights buzzed obnoxiously in the hallway. She followed the guard, only barely hiding her annoyance.

“I really hate leaving Marigold,” Maya muttered mentally.

“We'll get our chance to help her later at the scene,” Phoenix said sympathetically.

“What do you make of her sneaking to Aoi's room?”

“Well, you did say those two weren't getting along. Maybe it has something to do with that?”

Maya nodded, “Maybe. It's definitely worth checking out once we get to Kurain.”

“She also said she talked to Aoi, we'll have to ask her about what she and Marigold talked about last night,” Phoenix said.

“I'm confused how Aoi could be connected to your death. It seems so random. I really wanted to ask Marigold about it some more,” Maya tapped her chin before throwing her spiritual hands up in frustration, “Seriously though, who called me out here?! What could be more important than this case?”

As they rounded the corner however, all thoughts of irritation vanished abruptly.

_(That's-!)_

“Here's Ms. Fey, as you requested, Chief Prosecutor,” the officer saluted.

“Thank you very much,” the other man nodded slightly in a way that was almost too stiff to be truly polite.

Still, Maya couldn't hold back a friendly grin, “Edgeworth! Didn't expect to see you here.”

While it was true that the Chief Prosecutor's natural state of being tended to fall somewhere between austere and just-plain-grumpy, today he seemed especially ill-tempered. There was a certain severeness in his crossed arms, and the tapping finger against his bicep had more of a bite to it than usual.

“I could say the same, Ms. Fey. This is certainly a rather elaborate set-up for a joke,” he said coolly.

“A-a joke?” Maya faltered. Phoenix himself frowned in confusion.

Edgeworth huffed impatiently, “First your repeated calls in the middle of the night, then I find a phony 'case file' sitting on my desk this morning. Now I find you here. Honestly, must you go and involve Gumshoe in your asinine plots? You must be busy enough with your own duties to warrant such an ignoble waste of time. And that goes double for Wright as well. Well, I'm here to tell you that this particular joke is in very poor taste, and I would appreciate it if you ceased at once so I may move on with my day.”

“Oh... _oh_...” Maya bowed her head, hand on her mouth as realization dawned on her. Her voice was suddenly quiet, somber.

“Mr. Edgeworth, that wasn't a practical joke. Nick...Nick passed away.”

The world stalled. Tilted.

“.....I beg your pardon?”

“It happened last night...in Kurain...”

“.....”

“I tried calling you but I guess-”

“That will be all then, Ms. Fey.”

“Edgeworth?”

“Thank you.”

“Wait, Edgeworth!”

The man's face was unreadable behind the glare of his reading glasses, though the furrow in his brow never changed. He abruptly turned on his heel and sped off down the hallway without another word. Before Maya could call out to him again, Edgeworth was gone.

Phoenix was speechless, unable to move even as he watched Edgeworth's long coat tails whisper through the closing door.

“Well, that could have gone better,” Maya muttered glumly.

Phoenix reached out to face her in the liminal space, serious, “We can't leave it like that. We have to go after him.”

“You're really worried, huh?”

Considering the man's disturbingly common tendency of faking his own death and charting private planes in response to emotional crisis, 'worried' was an understatement. Furthermore, Phoenix could remember the turmoil, the skimped meals, and insomnia that he endured months after when he heard that Edgeworth had 'died'. And that had been before they were proper friends.

What would Edgeworth do...when he saw...

Phoenix didn't actually voice his dread, but luckily the transparency of the Ghost World made it clear to Maya anyway. The spirit medium nodded grimly, “We'll go as soon as Athena is done with Marigold, okay?”

Thankfully they didn't have to wait long. Just as they returned to the detention center visitor's room, Athena walked out, looking just as, if not more, confused than they were when they arrived.

“Did you find out anything?” Maya asked hopefully, anyway.

“Just that Marigold is really good with flowers, and is a complete nervous wreck,” Athena pouted, hands resting on her hips, “It was kinda hard listening to her talk, she's feeling a lot of sadness and regret.”

“Poor Goldie...” Maya pouted.

Athena continued, “As far as the case goes, she either didn't remember or just doesn't want to tell. She was still set on a guilty verdict when she asked to leave. Our only hope right now is that something turns up at the crime scene that can tell us something new.”

Maya sagged with her back against the wall, “I was kinda afraid you would say that.”

“I know...” Athena sighed, leaning on the wall next to her, “I hope we can help her.”

“Me too...but first,” Maya clutched her necklace, “There's one more person Nick and I need to help.”

…

The Prosecutor's Office was usually a lively sort of circus, complete with the occasional sounds of guitar solos and bird calls, and maybe the crack of a whip on its more chaotic days. When Phoenix and Maya arrived however, it was quiet as a church.

Phoenix couldn't decide if the stillness was more comforting or concerning, but he ended up settling on the latter. If he still had a stomach, he was sure there would have been a pit in it as they stepped off the elevator on the top floor. Edgeworth's office door was closed at the end of the hall. The name plaque glinted coldly.

He almost felt hopeful, looking at the neutral, dull expression on Edgeworth's secretary's face.

_(Maybe nothing happened yet?)_

Then again, Edgeworth was not the most vocal when something was bothering him. He could very well be in his office suffering in silence at Maya's news. Or worse, Phoenix stiffened at the thought. It was hard to know with Edgeworth. Maybe he hadn't come back to his office after all. What if he had gone out driving recklessly to who knows where. Or got on a private plane to leave again...what if...what if...

“Nick, please chill, I can just _feel_ you freaking out,” Maya hoarse whispered down at him, tapping her magatama.

The secretary looked up at the sound of Maya's voice, eyes narrowing slightly over the top of her horn-rimmed glasses.

“Can I help you?” she asked in a clipped voice.

Maya did her best convincing smile of a person who was _not_ just talking to themselves, and nodded brightly, “Yes, actually! I was wondering if Mr. Edgeworth was in right now?”

“He just got back, as a matter of fact,” the secretary said smoothly, manicured hands still paused over her keyboard.

“Is there any chance I can see him?” Maya asked, “I'm an old friend,” she added, seeing the pointed slow look the other woman was giving Maya's long traditional robes. But she reached for the phone to make the call anyway.

Phoenix could feel himself start to actually relax for the first time since the detention center. He still wasn't sure how he would explain his current condition to Edgeworth, but at least he would be able to see the man. After everything the man had done for him and Trucy the last few years, after everything they had gone through, it was the least he could do.

However, his sense of ease was short lived. The secretary was barely on the phone more than a minute, and she had a strangely sad look on her face as she quietly hung up. She cleared her throat, adjusting her glasses before facing Maya again.

“It seems Mr. Edgeworth will not be seeing anyone else today.”

The secretary glared slightly at Maya's offending hands as the spirit medium braced them on the desk, “Oh please, ma'am. This is really urgent!”

“I'm sure it is,” she brushed Maya's hands away from her work. However, when she looked back up, she did look rather sympathetic, as her small hard mouth softened into a pitiful frown, “I'm afraid my employer's instructions were clear. You will have to wait until Mr. Edgeworth leaves the office if you wish to talk with him.”

“Oh,” Maya sighed, but thanked the woman anyway.

She watched Maya turn toward the elevator, still frowning slightly, before returning to her computer.

Maya pushed the button for the elevator solemnly, “Now what, Nick?” she whispered.

Phoenix couldn't answer.

Tapping her cheek in thought, Maya pulled her phone out of her pocket. Phoenix watched her dial Edgeworth's number. However, it didn't even ring.

“Turned off,” Maya muttered, grimacing as she shoved her phone back into her pocket, “What a mess,” she sighed.

“Maya, why don't I stay behind?”

Maya jumped slightly at Phoenix's voice, “You mean stay here? With Edgeworth?”

“Just for a while, at least. I want to know he's okay,” Phoenix said.

“I thought you wanted to help investigate in Kurain?”

“I did. I do. It's just...I need to know. I couldn't really help you with comforting Trucy. I want to be there for him.”

“What do you plan on doing?” Maya frowned, unconvinced, “Make pottery and play 'Unchained Melody'?”

“No! I...I don't know...” Phoenix said lamely.

Maya softened a little as the elevator neared, “Listen, we tried. I'm sure Edgeworth will be fine.”

Phoenix shook his phantom head, “He's not like Trucy, or Athena. They have you. But Edgeworth...he doesn't have anyone. He's alone, Maya. He helped me rebuild my life, and now...I didn't even get to say good-bye...”

The elevator doors opened.

Maya worried her lip, and looked at the magatama resting in her palm.

“Okay, Nick.”

“Maya?”

She huffed a small laugh, “Go help your friend. Me and Athena got the investigation on lock down.”

He smiled gratefully, “I know you two do. I promise we'll meet back up when you return.”

“Later, Nick,” Maya bade him quiet good-bye as she stepped into the elevator to leave.

He took his chance, reaching for a ficus plant in the corner, before he could be carried away by the elevator. The elevator doors dinged closed on Maya's soft smiling face.

And so he was all alone with the typing secretary.

_(First things first. I need to get to Edgeworth's office.)_

As he sunk into the strange red tinted world of ghosts, he zigzagged from the ficus, to a couch cushion in the waiting area. He pouted as he sat on the couch, wondering how he would get to the desk of the secretary. It was just out of his range of reach. But just then, his luck panned out. A paper with a core caught a breeze from the ceiling fan overhead and fluttered off the desk. The secretary let out a sigh and swiveled around in her chair to rise and pick it up.

Phoenix took his chance, hopping onto the paper and hitched a ride to the desk as the secretary placed him back in the pile of paperwork. He smirked to himself. But he wasn't done yet. Edgeworth's office was still several feet away down the hall.

A pencil finally caught his eye. Jumping over to it, he gave an almighty shove.

The secretary gave another weary sigh as her pencil pot tipped over, spilling its contents everywhere. She muttered something about wasted time before standing once again to scoop up the mess. While she was bent over however, she did not notice the lone pencil that kept moving along the floor, possessed by a mission, and smoothly rolled under the chief prosecutor's door.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, thank you so much to radstarmuffin who kindly offered to beta read for me!!! She's had good suggestions and caught a lot of my silly mistakes to help make the fic that much better. So yay!
> 
> Secondly, I'm so sorry this took so long, especially for a chapter that's mostly set-up. That first scene took longer than I thought, but I hope I can churn the next one out quicker. Until then, I hope you all enjoy, and thanks for reading!


	4. 12:17 PM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “To die would be an awfully big adventure.” -Peter Pan

Athena had only nodded wordlessly,sitting in the driver's seat, when Maya told her that Phoenix would be staying behind. Maya had almost expected her to make a fuss, but she was startlingly understanding. Or maybe she was just that perceptive. Maya wouldn't have been too surprised.

The drive through the mountains was a quiet one; they had both settled into steely resolve as they approached Kurain Village.

In the back of her mind however, Maya couldn't help but feel apprehensive. It wasn't the first time she had had to deal with disaster at Kurain. Heck, it wasn't even the first murder. But it _was_ the first time she was dealing with it as a leader of the village. The pressure only added to her already high emotions.

The obscenely yellow camper parked near the entrance to the village did not help.

Maya sank lower into the passenger seat, suddenly feeling very tired.

_(Oooh, not now...)_

Athena parked her rental car beside the police cars huddled off to the side on the grass. The spiritual energy was especially stronger than usual at that moment, but on the outside, the village looked quite deserted. All the villagers had been asked to stay inside during the investigation. Looking at it now, it reminded Maya far too much of the quiet, reserved Kurain she knew as a child growing up.

Maya's despondent pout was interrupted as Athena chuckled, jerking her thumb at the yellow camper, “Whoa. And people say my taste is gaudy.”

Maya laughed weakly, “Heh, you think that's bad now? Just wait. Let's try to get to the scene quick.”

“Is it that bad?” Athena asked, trotting alongside Maya as they approached the manor.

Maya looked around, suddenly suspicious of the quiet, as they neared the front doors, “It's just that after everything that's happened, I'm not really up to talking to-”

As Maya opened the doors, she found herself running into something soft and covered in pinstripes, “Oh, Mr. Shun. What a surprise to see you here.”

_(-uninvited.)_

“There you are Miss Fey!” Loki Shun boomed, giving them his usual tip of his straw hat, “I've been wandering all over looking for you. And hello to you too, young lady! Loki Shun, Zashiki Realty.”

Even Athena, actual personification of a golden retriever, looked a little taken aback by the sudden enthusiastic greeting, “Uh, hi?”

Shun straightened his lime green bow tie with a little flourish, beaming.

_(Jeesh. I wonder if he has a whole collection of bow ties, or if he just wears the same one every day like Nick does?)_

Maya shook off the random thought, and barely managed to return a passable smile,“I'm sorry, I can't really talk right now. We have things to take care of.” She sidestepped past him into the manor, grabbing Athena's hand to tow her along before Shun could offer her deal on a condominium.

“Oh, of course, of course. I understand Miss Fey,” the man said as he promptly kept walking next to them. Maya bit back a sigh.

Shun pressed his skimmer hat to his chest dearingly, “I just wanted to say how _sorry_ I was to hear about the terrible incident last night. Heard all about it this morning from the locals.”

“Yeah, I'm sure you did, Mr. Shun.” Maya kept walking, not giving the man a glance. However, he kept pace, seemingly relentless.

“The victim was that friend of yours, wasn’t he? What was his name again? Fennick? Felix?”

Maya stopped in her tracks, resigned. She took a weary breath through her nose.

“Phoenix… his name was Phoenix,” she replied softly.

“Riiiiiight, _that_ guy,” he clapped one hand hard on her shoulder, “So _sad_. A tragedy even.”

Maya bit her lip, hoping to discharge her building desire to punch the smarm right out of the real estate agent.

“Thank you for your condolences, Mr. Shun,” she said tightly.

“But of course,” the man cut in, tapping his handsome chin, “The real tragedy here is what this means for the village, you know.”

She didn’t bother to hide her frown, “I’m not sure what you mean.”

Shun's face seemed to have a strange habit of looking genuinely sorrowful, yet his dark eyes tended to twinkle merrily. “Ah, you see a murder isn't a good look for public appearances. Of course, a good ghost story can draw a crowd, but here safety starts to become a concern, doesn’t it?” He took off his straw hat, examining the brim with interest, “I understand there have been other incidents in the past relating to the village. I can only imagine what it will take now to keep the general public and your students interested in staying at such a place.”

Maya didn't move. “...What are you trying to say?”

“This is a scene I have seen _far_ too often selling real estate. Not fair. So many good places going under because of bad luck,” Shun shook his head sadly, clutching his hat to his chest, “I hate bringing it up at such a tender time. But really, you must think about the future. I hate seeing a girl suffer needlessly. I would be all too happy to help take this burden off your shoulders.”

_(Alright, that does it.)_

“It’s as you said,” Maya ground out slowly, “There may have been terrible things that have happened here in the past. I myself have lost both my mother and my sister, and now Nick. But me and the Village have continued to thrive and will _continue_ to do so because that is just how resilient we are.”

Loki Shun’s smile shone bright as a new penny, “Of course, of course, Miss Fey. But, should that resilience ever run its course…” he pulled a green business card from his suit with a flick and gave it to Maya, “My offer still stands. Just give me a call. Like I said, I would be happy to help turn a bad situation around.”

_(I already have a guy for that, thanks. Jerkbutt.)_

Oblivious, Shun fluffed his green bow tie again happily, “You know what they say: Keep your friends close!”

Shun gave Athena one of his cards with another cheery tip of his hat and bade them good-bye. Maya watched the man walk away acidly. As soon as he was out of sight she tore the card clean down the middle.

Athena stared down at her own card in supreme confusion, “Jeesh, so that was Mr. Yellow Camper, I'll take it?”

“Yeah,” Maya pouted, “He's been trying to buy the village from me the last few weeks...”

“Buy?!” Widget flashed yellow in surprise, “Ms. Fey, don't tell me you're-”

“I'm not,” Maya said firmly, hands clenched tightly at her sides. She glared a hole down at the ground, “Kurain will always be my home. As much as the universe doesn't seem to like the idea very much.”

Only the changing color of Widget's face gave away Athena's thoughts as she watched Maya dolefully. After a moment she gave a tight smile and patted the spirit medium's shoulder.

“Don't worry, Ms. Fey,” Athena said gently, “Kurain Village is going to be just fine.”

_(Yeah, but for how long?)_

Maya sighed, “Let's just get to the crime scene. I'm anxious to get to the bottom of this.”

“That's the spirit!” Athena chirped.

The inside of the manor was just as deserted as the outside. Although once they got closer to the crime scene, they encountered more people, mostly lingering police officers guarding the scene and taking photos. Even then, there was a sort of reverent quiet. No one seemed to want to talk above a whisper.

That is until they got to the channeling chamber.

“-ELL _NO_! The day I let you get your hands on one of _my_ forensic reports is the day the L.A. Public Prosecutors Office freezes over, and Mr. Edgeworth starts giving free sleigh rides!”

Athena and Maya shared a look, then poked their heads around the doorway where the loud arguing resounded. Ema was stood defiantly, glowering up at a mildly smug looking Winston Payne.

“Detective Skye, please be reasonable.”

“ _Reasonable_?! There's nothing _reasonable_ about this situation!”

Athena subtly cleared her throat, “Uh, hi Ema.”

The forensic detective immediately turned, glaring daggers. Once she saw Maya and Athena however, she looked happier at once, offering a big grin.

“Oh, look! Another surprise! At least this one was _pleasant_ ,” she said as she shot a frosty side-eye at Payne.

The prosecutor dismissed it with a flick of his thin hair.

“What's going on here, exactly?” Maya asked.

Ema opened her mouth to retort, but Payne cut her off, “Detective Skye here is neglecting her job and not giving a prosecutor the current forensic reports on the case. _That's_ what is going on here.”

“You mean _you're_ prosecuting Nick's case?!” Maya fumed, immediately looking as riled as Ema.

“ _No_ , he's not!” Ema snapped before Payne could smirkingly interject, “Mr. Edgeworth has not assigned anyone to the case yet. So until I hear different from him, _you're_ not getting near a single one of my reports.”

Payne waved her off with another pompous fluff of his sparse hair, “A mere technicality. This case is as good as mine.”

“Why do you want it so badly?” Athena asked.

“Peh,” Payne guffawed, “Not for touchy-feely reasons like the rest of you, I assure you.”

Ema glared away at a random corner of the room, taking her frustrations out on a defenseless bite of junk food.

The prosecutor continued, “However, I do recognize that our Chief Prosecutor may have some strong feelings toward this particular case. And so I, as one of the most senior members of the Prosecutor's Office, have _graciously_ stepped up to see that this case is done properly.”

“And that failing performance review that Mr. Edgeworth gave you last month has nothing to do with this sudden interest in helping the Chief Prosecutor?” Ema said dryly.

Payne shrugged, smirking, “If I happen to get a promotion for dutifully helping the Chief, well I can't be blamed for that, can I?”

“You're despicable,” Ema narrowed her eyes as she looked at him hard, “You have the worst track record in the Prosecutor's Office. I wouldn't trust you prosecuting a parking ticket in traffic court, much less a murder case as important as this one.”

“Detective!”

“I'd sooner give this report to the Fop than you! I am not letting you near Mr. Wright's case!” Ema stamped her foot.

“Honestly,” Payne huffed, “You're making a mountain out of an anthill. Besides there is very little to 'mess up', as you put it. This case is open-and-shut as it comes. It'll be as easy as all the other cases I've had in my illustrious career.”

Maya smirked, “So you admit they give you the easy cases?”

“Gaaak!” the few strands of hair Payne had left stood on end. His jowls quivered as he opened and closed his mouth, gaping like a fish. “I-I-I will be filing a complaint with the criminal affairs department after I'm through here, I'll have you know.”

“Go ahead,” Ema bit back, “Unless I hear differently, I'm only giving this report to the prosecutor assigned to this case.”

Just then the door slid open with an abrupt snap. A very tall man wearing very dark clothes that Maya did not recognize strode in, immediately overbearing and intimidating. However, Athena and Ema both looked relieved when they saw him.

“Simon, you're here too!” Athena's grin was almost comically bright compared to the monochrome man.

The hawk on Blackquill's shoulders gave a sharp caw as way of greeting. Meanwhile, Blackquill had his dark eyes fixed mostly on Payne.

“Thank goodness,” Ema sighed, “Please tell me you're here to kick out Prosecutor Payne-in-the-ass.”

Blackquill remained stoic, ignoring the sparks Payne and Ema were glaring at each other, “If you are asking if I am the acting prosecutor on this case, the answer is no. Edgeworth-dono has neglected to assign anyone yet.”

“What? Why not?!” Athena asked, shocked. Maya shifted away, sadly.

“The Chief Prosecutor has been indisposed in his office since this morning.”

“O-oh...” Athena gripped the sleeve of her bright jacket, suddenly somber, “But then...why are you here, Simon?”

The prosecutor stroked the soft pale belly of his hawk, “I have a debt to Wright-dono, as well as the Chief. I offered myself to oversee the investigation until a proper council is decided.”

“Aw, Simon!” Athena cooed, clasping her hands together, “That's so nice of you!”

Payne fizzed, his wrinkles more pronounced as he frowned, “Now just a minute! You aren't assigned to the case either, so if you think that I'm going to just-”

Payne trailed off as Blackquill drew himself up to full height, glaring down from almost a full foot above Payne's head. Taka seemed to have an identical glare as it snapped its beak testingly.

Ema peeked from around Blackquill's elbow, and took a slow smug bite of her snacks.

Payne gulped, “Ah, well, then again. Maybe it would be best to leave the legwork to the young people. Builds character and all ahaha...”

Taka cawed.

“Don't let the door hit you on the way out,” Ema said coyly.

Payne barely managed to dodge a flying snackoo aimed right at his head. He shot Ema a dirty look as he straightened his thick glasses. With one last fluff of his thin hair, he turned on his heel and scampered out of the channeling chamber.

“Now that's more like it,” Ema said, brushing off the sleeves of her white lab coat, “Sorry you guys had to see that.”

“It's okay,” Maya gave her a lopsided grin, “Thanks for sticking up for Nick.”

“No problem! Oh, by the way, um,” she fiddled with the strap on her bag awkwardly, “How are you guys... holding up?”

Maya shrugged, suddenly looking older than she had a right to be, “About as good as we can be.”

Ema nodded understandingly, “If you guys need anything, just let me know. Actually, now that you're here, you all probably want the forensic report, don't you?”

“That would be helpful!” Athena said brightly, “The one I got this morning wasn't complete.”

“I'm afraid this one isn't quite complete either,” Ema frowned, handing over a couple copies, “We hit a bit of a snag with one of the pieces of evidence.”

“What sort of snag?” Maya asked nervously.

“Weeellll...” Ema looked away as she munched on another snackoo, “The police might of kinda sorta... maybe... _possibly..._ lost the gun.”

“You guys lost the _gun_?!” Athena screeched.

Without a desk to hit, Blackquill instead scrunched up the file in his clenched hand, fuming, “Who is the incompetent buffoon that managed to lose a _murder weapon_?”

“Whoa whoa whoa, easy there. We're working on finding it right now, okay?” Ema reassured them, “We still have gun residue found on the accused's right hand. It's obvious she fired a gun. I just haven't been able to cross-reference the gun used to the two bullets taken from the, ah, you know, the b- um, the victim.”

Blackquill still looked unimpressed. Athena fretted next to him, “Drat. I was hoping that gun might've given us _something_ to work with here.”

“Sorry. I promise the police are working really hard,” Ema sighed, “I have to admit though, I'm kinda surprised to see you two here. Athena, I thought you were still on that big soul-searching quest overseas after Apollo left the office.”

Athena suddenly seemed very concerned with combing her fingers through the end of her ponytail, “Eh, it wasn't going as great for me as it was for Apollo. Plus, the Boss is more important right now.”

“And Maya, I thought I would see you on the prosecution team?”

Maya and Athena shared a look at that, “It's kinda complicated,” Maya said simply.

“It always is when you all get involved,” Ema deadpanned. “Whatever. Look around as much as you want, the police finished in this room. I'm going to go help look for the gun out in the hallway, if you need me. Feel free to come help if you get the chance,” she waved over her shoulder as she turned to leave.

Athena called out her thanks while Maya busied herself flipping through the court record, frowning, “Alright, let's not waste any more time. Let's find a weak point and bust this case wide open. Where do you want to start?”

Athena leaned over her shoulder, hands on her hips, “I think I want to give a once over of the channeling chamber before we do anything else. It's probably our best bet to find any more good physical evidence with the gun missing.”

Maya nodded, tapping her cheek, “Works for me. Really confused about the gun though. I still wonder how the gun managed to get lost. This could really be bad for us.”

“Did you see anything weird last night after the crime having to do with the gun?” Athena asked.

“Nope,” Maya said thoughtfully, “It got knocked out of Marigold's hand when N-, uh, when the ladder fell on her. After that, it was still there when I saw police start taking pictures of the scene. I thought they confiscated it for evidence.”

“Do you...think someone stole it?” Athena frowned, tentative.

_(Someone...like the real killer?)_

Maya stiffened at the thought. However neither her nor Athena seemed to want to voice the idea just yet.

“We won't know for sure until the gun is discovered, so let's stop the useless speculation,” Blackquill said firmly.

“Yipe!” Maya jumped a little, he was so quiet she had almost forgotten he was there watching from the corner of the room.

Blackquill ignored her surprised outburst, “Let's examine this room first. I don't trust a police team that manages to lose the murder weapon so readily.”

“Ooh, you want to investigate together, Simon?” Athena bounced happily.

“If your friend consents, then I have no objections,” Blackquill said airily, looking off to the side.

“Well, Ms. Fey?”

“I don't mind tall, dark, and scary helping, that's fine!” Maya replied.

“Oh yeah, you two haven't met before have you? Hey, Simon, say hi to Ms. Fey. She was a real close friend of the Boss.”

Blackquill bowed his head slightly, “How do you do, Fey-dono?”

“Ugh, enough with the Ms. Fey-schtick, all of you! You’re making me feel like I’m as old as Nick. Just Maya is alright!”

“And, this is my old friend, Simon Blackquill.”

“Oh, so _this_ is the Prosecutor Blackquill guy you guys helped,” Maya said, “Athena told me about the time you helped her on the defense for that soba noodle shop murder trial. It sounded neat. I can respect a man who cares about food,” Maya nodded sagely.

“Heh,” Simon crossed his arms, “I do have a fondness for the delicate tastes and subtle textures imparted by the buckwheat flour, unlike other people who simply eat meat slapped between slabs of bread.”

“…”

“…”

“Athena, we may have another murder on our hands.”

“M-ms. Fey?”

“I’m going to fight him, Athena.”

“Ms. Fey, Simon’s like a foot taller than you!”

“He has insulted me, Athena.”

…

If the prosecutor's office was quiet as a church, then Edgeworth's office was a tomb.

The curtains were open. Sunlight streamed in, inappropriately warm and bright.

At first glance, Phoenix almost missed Edgeworth. He was sat so still, he blended in with the rest of the burgundy colored furniture. However, once Phoenix did notice Edgeworth, it was all he could look at.

As a pencil, he rolled quietly across the floor and under one of the twin sofas. He peered up at the chief prosecutor through the hanging fringe.

Edgeworth sat with his hands clasped against his pursed mouth. He was eyeing the innocent-looking white evidence box on his desk with silent but intense scrutiny.

Phoenix knew immediately what lied inside the box.

_(Edgeworth...you don't need to see that. Don't do that to yourself...)_

The prosecutor breathed deeply through his nose, his tired narrowed eyes falling closed. He looked meditative, or perhaps like he was psyching himself up. Phoenix could see him gulp hard once, letting his eyes open again to rest on something on his desk.

Phoenix reached up to the quill on the desk top to look closer.

It was a case file. _His_ case file, Phoenix quickly realized.

He could see his name typed there. Edgeworth's fingers gently brushed against it as he straightened the papers, reading them again for what was no doubt in Phoenix's mind at least the dozenth time. The words reflected faintly in the glasses slipped down on the end of Edgeworth's nose.

_'Victim: Phoenix Wright'_

_'death caused by two gunshot wounds to abdomen'_

_'D.O.A., autopsy confirmed death was almost instantaneous'_

Edgeworth sighed heavily, picking his glasses off to run a hand over his face. When he looked back up, Phoenix thought he looked a tinge redder than a moment ago.

_(Edgeworth...please don't...)_

His eyes slowly shifted once again to the evidence box.

_(Don't...)_

Suddenly Edgeworth was glaring at the box the same he would a particularly stubborn witness, or a scuff mark on his italian leather shoes. He cleared his throat and straightened his suit jacket, once again The Cool, Calm, and Collected Chief Prosecutor simply reviewing the next case. He stood and opened the lid on the box, all matter of fact.

His expression faltered when he actually looked in the box.

His hands brought out various bags of evidence: Marigold's burned robe, a pink tie, two slightly deformed bullets, and there, towards the bottom of the pile, a royal blue jacket and a powder blue waistcoat stained dark by...

With shaking hands Edgeworth promptly dropped the clothes back into the box, collapsing into his chair. That was enough for today. For a lifetime.

Face flushing and breath becoming heavier, Edgeworth began hastily putting the evidence back in the box. He moved quickly, less gentle than while he had been taking them out, as if the bags had bitten him. Phoenix watched somberly from the side.

Suddenly, Edgeworth paused mid motion. A couple glints of gold had caught his eye. He ran his thumb over the two small bags in his hand, smoothing the plastic out to better see the contents: a gold locket, and a small attorney's badge.

Edgeworth slumped back hard into his chair, as if the air had been knocked out of his lungs. He carefully dumped out the bags into his palm, fingers splayed as he gently cupped the small metal treasures.

His determined glare from earlier had completely melted into something softer. The locket and the badge rendered the prosecutor mute and defanged. Cold hard steel melted into something molten, pliable.

And so much more fragile.

A melt down.

Phoenix could see Edgeworth's slender fingers begin to twitch. Edgeworth took another deep breath, closing his fist on the locket and the badge. He gulped as he brought his fist to rest against the furrow in his brow. His eyes fell closed.

It took a moment for Phoenix to notice the uneven breaths passing through the prosecutor's tight lips, or the slight trembles that were beginning to set into Edgeworth's frame. He hadn't seen the behavior often from the normally stony man, but Phoenix knew very well the tell-tale signs of Edgeworth's anxiety attacks.

Edgeworth's shoulders shook as he sucked another difficult gulp of air. His other fist clutched white knuckled to the arm of his chair. Phoenix could almost see the stream of disturbing thoughts etched across the lines in the prosecutor's forehead, dark thoughts snowballing into something terrible and overwhelming.

Phoenix panicked. At once feeling very small and under-prepared.

_(Edgeworth!)_

He looked desperately around the room. He was limited in modes of comfort. Normally he would remind Edgeworth to breathe and maybe make a cup of tea, but even that was out of the question. He had no means to communicate with Edgeworth, and he was mostly bound by functional fixedness in the objects he possessed; although he could throw his weight around a little more with smaller objects.

He spotted a nearby core just within reach of the desk.

_(Then again maybe that'll be enough...)_

The prosecutor bowed his head, clutching his heart as it pounded faster and faster until it almost seemed like he would-

Something small and hard hit him directly in the forehead, snapping him out of his thoughts as good as a bucket of ice water could.

Edgeworth's eyes shot open. His hand still had a vise grip on his chair.

He blinked, panting, looking around his office.

With a shaky exhale, his eyes fell on the desk in front of him. It was there he found the culprit: a single spiky blue pawn from his chess board.

Edgeworth shook his head. Looked again. The chess piece was still there.

He frowned.

Phoenix watched him with anticipation on the desk.

Edgeworth massaged at the crow's feet that had started setting in at the corners of his eyes, looking like he was clearly at his mental limit for the day, muttering under his breath about 'chess pieces flying around his office'.

He picked up the spiky pawn and walked over to put it back on the chess board by the sofa with crisp purposeful strides. However as Edgeworth reached to put it down, he paused, turning it over thoughtfully in his hand. His fingers traced the spikes, gently wiping off the smudge marks.

His thin mouth tightened.

He gave a resigned sigh and pocketed the chess piece.

The locket and the badge soon met the same fate, after a dutiful note on the evidence list.

Edgeworth locked the box of evidence away in his office safe, and straightened his jacket and glasses once again before he collected his briefcase to leave.

Phoenix bounced slightly against his own badge inside Edgeworth's pocket.

The secretary outside kept her face determinedly on her monitor as Edgeworth locked up his office and strode briskly past her.

“I'm leaving the office for the rest of the day. No calls.”

She watched her boss with cautious eyes out of the corner of her horn-rimmed glasses. However her tapping fingers never missed a beat as Edgeworth passed by her to start the long quiet trek down the emergency stairs.

“Yes, sir.”

…

“Anybody find anything?” Maya asked hesitantly.

“Nada,” came Athena's glum answer from behind a folding screen on the other side of the room.

Besides the fallen candle very little else of interest remained at the scene. While there were no cameras, a dust around the room for fingerprints confirmed that no one else had entered the channeling chamber besides Marigold, Maya, and Phoenix.

The longer they went without new evidence, the more nervous Maya felt for Marigold. The tape marking the outline of Phoenix's fallen body on the floor didn't help her anxiety either. Athena also seemed to be avoiding even looking at the spot as soon as they had finished inspecting it.

“I suggest we leave then and rejoin Ema outside,” Blackquill said. Maya and Athena were all too happy to follow.

The hallway outside was a mess, with the ribbons of police tape, the half opened folding screen down the hall, and a couple little x's taped to the ground.

“Hey, what are those for?” Maya asked, pointing to one of the x's.

“Um, apparently those are for marking bullets that were found on the ground,” Athena said, looking back though the forensic report.

“Oh yeah, I remember a couple shots being fired out here when I was getting chased,” Maya said thoughtfully.

Athena looked queasy, “Urg, I didn't hear about that part. That must have been terrifying for you.”

“Eh, good thing I'm with a couple psychology nerds then, I guess,” Maya shrugged, still a little uncomfortable thinking about last night too hard just yet. Instead she bent down, frowning at the x marked on the floor by the folding screen. “Something's strange though.”

“How so, Fey-dono?” Blackquill knelt next to her.

“The paper folding screen had gotten opened during the chase, and Marigold shot at it. But I don't see a bullet hole in it. In fact, this x marking where the bullet was found is in _front_ of the folding screen.”

“You're right,” Athena said, running one gloved hand over one of the paper panels on the folding screen. It was still smooth and without even a dent, “It almost looks like the bullet just bounced off.”

_(Hmm...Nick was possessing this folding screen while he was trying to help me escape last night. I wonder if that has anything to do with this?)_

Blackquill straightened and continued on down the hall, “Duly noted. However, I fail to see how that helps find our missing gun.”

As the two women followed after him, Maya made a note of the strange bullet-proof folding screen in the court record.

As they turned the corner following Maya's path from the attack, Blackquill raised the police tape for them to pass by. Athena flashed him a smile and curtsied with the ends of her suit jacket before bowing under. Maya ducked after her.

The closet that Maya had barricaded herself in last night was still left wide open, and all of its contents were still in a pile on the floor where they had fallen thanks to certain paranormal intervention.

Maya hiked up the sleeves on her robes as they approached, so ready to start digging in. However they had barely taken a couple steps when-

“PLEASE STEP AWAY FROM THE ACTIVE CRIME SCENE!”

All three jumped at the sound of the booming voice. Athena cupped her ears, wincing. Blackquill clutched at his heart, gritting his teeth, “Now what?”

Turning, they were confronted with a fidgety looking police officer with a megaphone watching them expectantly, “Sorry folks, this area is closed off for police business. I'll have to ask you all to move along!”

“We _are_ police business you twat!” Blackquill spat.

“H-huh?”

“We're the attorneys on this case,” Athena explained kindly, flashing her badge.

The officer straightened and gave them a salute so hard Maya was pretty sure the man hit himself in the forehead.

“I'm sorry! I didn't know who you were, sirs. Detective Skye told me to give you all permission to look around, of course.”

“Thank you!” Maya bowed her head.

Blackquill huffed, “What's your name, fool?”

“O-o-o-fficer Meekins, sir! Mike Meekins!” he stuttered with another hard salute.

Blackquill's eyes glinted as he bore down on the officer, “Meek One, if you disturb Taka or Cykes-dono with any more of that infernal racket, I will have my hawk rip that badge off your person.”

Meekins let out a squawk as Blackquill gave him a warning swipe, fingers nimbly slicing several hairs off the officer's fledgling mustache.

Meekins sniffled, twiddling his fingers, “Serves me right. I'm already in hot water with the Captain after losing important evidence.”

“Wait,” Maya blinked, “You _lost evidence_?”

Blackquill growled, “Don't tell me _you're_ the same buffoon that lost the murder weapon?!”

“The very same buffoon, sir,” Meekins sniffed, “I spent all these years after getting demoted to bailiff working my way back up to patrolman. Now I screw the pooch on my first case back in the field. That's the rub, sir! The rub!”

Blackquill looked about ready to let Taka just eat the officer, but Athena swooped in just in time, “Could you tell us how the gun was lost?”

Meekins stroked his chin thoughtfully, “Well let's see. It's like I told that Detective Skye. After we took pictures of the scene, I bagged and tagged the weapon like I was supposed to. Then I went to go put it in our van to send it to the lab for analysis and-”

“And, what?”

“That's the thing, I can't remember!” he smacked his hand, “I think I suddenly blacked out. I can't remember walking back to the manor. Next thing I knew, I was standing back at the scene with the other officers. Nothing seemed amiss, so I didn't think much of it. I thought it was probably just nerves from being a little patrolman back in the big saddle again. I swear, sir! Until I got the call later saying that headquarters never got the gun, I didn't know anything was wrong! I've been looking all over the village trying to find it, sir!”

“So, you're saying the gun disappeared off the police van...” Maya mused.

_(First Marigold blacks out, and now this cop? Curiouser and curiouser...)_

“And the gun is still unaccounted for?” Blackquill asked.

“Sir, yes, sir! No such luck yet, sir!” Meekins saluted.

“Hey, Meekins.”

The officer sprang up in the air, flailing his limbs as if to karate chop the speaker, who happened to be an equally startled looking Ema.

“Yikes, I was just going to say that the team had moved outside to start looking for the gun!” the detective cried.

“Yes, sir!” Meekins snapped to attention, “I'll leave no stone unturned! No inch unexplored!”

“Heh, on the double then,” Blackquill said with a scowl, but there was a curious delighted glint in his eye. Maya suspected he liked making the jumpy officer squirm.

Meekins nearly bowled over Ema again as he scrambled off down the hallway. Ema rolled her eyes watching the man nearly trip over his own knobbly legs.

“The nutcases I have to deal with...” she muttered under her breath. “Well, is your investigation going any better than mine?”

“Could be better,” Athena said, “You didn't happen to magically find anything else in the last 45 minutes have you?”

“Afraid not. I just checked around with the investigation team. Nothing new. And still no sign of the gun.”

“ _Rats_...” Widget chirped.

“Actually, Maya, I wanted to ask you about that,” Ema said.

“Me?”

“We assume that Marigold was hiding a gun somewhere in the manor. But she's not a registered gun owner, and we didn't find anything in her room that would suggest she hid it there. Do you know any other place she might have hidden it? Or where she may have gotten it?”

“I was kinda wondering about that myself,” Maya furrowed her brow thoughtfully, “Weapons aren't allowed in the village after the murder here several years ago.”

“There was _another_ murder here?” Athena balked.

“Tell me about it,” Maya sighed.

Ema softened sympathetically, “We'll keep looking around, then. Let me know if you think of anything.”

_(At least we know that there wasn't anything incriminating in Marigold's room, there's still hope yet...)_

“Actually, Ema, there was one place we wanted to check out, now that you mention it,” Maya said.

“Oh?”

“Marigold said she went to Aoi's room just before the attack. Is it okay if we go look there?”

Ema hummed in interest, flipping open her PDA and looking through the case files with her rose tinted goggles. “Hmm I got nothing about that in here. And the police haven't started questioning the villagers yet. Sounds like something worth looking into though.”

“Awesome! Aoi's room is down this way,” Maya pointed over Ema's shoulder.

The most senior acolytes of the temple, like Aoi, lived in a separate wing of the manor away from the channeling chambers, near the dining hall. It was as deathly silent as the rest of the manor. However, they did pass by a small group of purple robed students, huddled with their heads bent together whispering. They looked up like a group of deer on alert when they saw the group of investigators approaching the acolyte rooms, wide eyes watching Maya hesitantly. Maya wasted no time putting on a reassuring smile, doing her best to keep her mounting doubt and dread out of her eyes and the corners of her mouth. It seemed to work; the group smiled back, bowing graciously and leaving without a word.

Aoi's room was near the end of the hall. Maya wasn't sure what they would find in there. She wasn't even sure what she _wanted_ them to find. It was a hard pill to swallow imagining not only one but two of her students wanting to betray her, to hurt her so bad that they would resort to murder. But if there was a possibility that Aoi was involved in the plot to murder her and Nick, they had to explore it.

_(We're here for the truth. No matter how dark it might be...)_

Steeling herself, Maya knocked on the bedroom door.

“Aoi, are you in there?”

No response. Maya knocked again.

“Aoi, can we come in? We have a few questions to ask you.”

“...”

Athena and Blackquill shared a look. Maya bit her lip, but pressed on, sliding the door open.

She called out one more time to the darkened room. Like most of the other bedrooms in the manor, Aoi's room was plain with just the bare essentials: a simple twin bed, a dresser, a desk, and a wash basin. However, also like most of the other rooms, Aoi had added some personal touches; two large bookcases, completely full, took up most of one wall.

There was a single window in the room, the bed sat underneath the beam of afternoon light filtering in. It was there that Maya's eyes were drawn, spotting the Aoi shaped lump under the blankets.

_(Sleeping?)_

“Aoi?” Maya called, shaking at the acolyte's shoulder.

There was still no response. Her body was unnaturally stiff under Maya's hand. Maya's eyes widened and her heart dropped into her stomach.

“Aoi!” she called again, louder, rolling her over.

The acolyte's eyes remained closed. The skin peeking under the veil of inky hair was pale as marble.

Athena gasped. Ema jumped to action, nudging Maya aside,“Let me look.”

Maya watched as Ema brushed aside Aoi's hair revealing her face. Even in the relative dark, the dark bruises circling her neck were obvious. Frowning in concentration, Ema pressed two fingers against Aoi's artery. Maya watched with bated breath as Ema searched for a pulse.

After a long tense moment, Ema looked up at Maya gravely, confirming her fears, “Aoi is dead.”

…

At the sound of the door opening, Pess perked her ears and trotted up obediently to greet her master.

Edgeworth numbly stretched out his fingers to brush against her ears as she circled around his legs, tail lazily wagging. Content with the soft touch, the lanky creature padded back to her basket in the living room, curling up to resume her nap.

Edgeworth looked loathe to move from the entryway. At his office, he seemed so keen to be moving, acting, getting away. Now that he had made it home however, he was frozen. He looked suffocated, paralyzed, and oh so tired.

Phoenix vaguely registered that he would now never see Edgeworth grow old; however the way he looked right then, once he allowed himself to stop and let the weight sink into his shoulders, Phoenix realized he didn't need much imagination to picture elderly Edgeworth.

Like he always did however, the prosecutor managed to will himself to move forward. Slipping off his shoes and dropping his briefcase by the entryway, he began picking at his cravat, huffing as if it was choking him. He retreated down the hall to his bedroom, shedding layers until he could breathe again. His wine dark jacket, waistcoat, and cravat were left discarded on the bed, which was about as sloppy as the prosecutor got. Phoenix watched from the pawn in Edgeworth's jacket pocket as Edgeworth irritably undid the first two buttons on his white shirt.

Now that he was moving, it didn't look like the Chief Prosecutor was inclined to stop. Edgeworth paced around his bedroom, thin brow furrowed deep in thought. Phoenix could hear him mutter unintelligibly to himself under his breath.

_(You better not be blaming yourself over there. You know there wasn't anything you could have done.)_

Edgeworth ran his fingers compulsively through his bangs. Eventually he became so agitated with walking in circles around the bedroom he stalked out into the hall. Phoenix jumped from the pawn to follow him through the apartment.

He found Edgeworth in the living room eyeing the DVD collection by the TV. However, the idea of remaining sedentary, let alone enjoying himself didn't seem to hold any appeal to Edgeworth. With a derisive sigh, the prosecutor turned and began pacing along the hallway and back again.

Phoenix watched quietly from a floral painting on the wall, frowning.

_(Edgeworth...)_

He hadn't been able to help Trucy, maybe this was his chance to help Edgeworth.

_(Well, watching TV helped calm Maya down last night...And if it gets Edgeworth to stop and sit down for a moment...)_

He glared at the TV across the room in determination.

He tried to reach for the couch cushion below, but found it just out of his grasp. He kept pushing until the painting swayed, tilting over to one side. With one corner lowered, he was just close enough to reach down. The painting swung back into its proper position just as Edgeworth stalked back into the room.

As he turned away to pace down the hallway again, Phoenix observed the long bare gap between the couch and the TV. He pouted in thought; but then a red squeaky toy bone under the couch caught his attention.

He reached down, squeezing the dog toy hard.

Pess roused from her nap, floppy ears pricked up at the sound. Phoenix squeaked the bone one more time. With her pink tongue lolling out in what looked like a smile, Pess untangled her long legs and trotted over to the couch. After snuffling around, the dog finally rooted out the squeaky toy from under the couch and brought it over proudly to her basket.

Her basket right next to the TV.

Phoenix smirked a little to himself.

_(Good doggie.)_

Phoenix abandoned the squeaky toy as Pess mouthed it between her paws. Reaching up to the core in the TV.

_(Here goes nothing...)_

A moment later the sounds of the afternoon weather report resounded in the quiet apartment with all the subtly of a passing train. Phoenix could hear Edgeworth's startled footfalls approaching down the hallway.

The prosecutor glared, confused, at the TV, then at Pess still chewing the squeaky toy in her basket, then at the remote sitting innocently on the kitchen counter where he left it that morning.

Shaking his head, Edgeworth quickly snatched the remote and promptly turned the TV off. Placing the remote on the arm of the couch, he turned around. No sooner had he taken one step, the TV turned on once again. Edgeworth nearly jumped out of his skin when the theme tune to a certain show started playing.

He wheeled around, fumbling slightly with the remote before pressing the power button harshly.

A moment of silence.

The TV defiantly crackled to life once more, this time a host on a cooking show was rattling off ingredients.

Edgeworth's iron gray eyes cut like daggers at the misbehaving appliance.

Phoenix almost felt bad for giving him a hard time.

Almost.

Stomping over to the TV, Edgeworth unceremoniously yanked out the power cable straight from the wall, letting the plug limply fall to the ground as if to say 'so there'.

Phoenix frowned in defeat.

The silence was suddenly deafening in the apartment. Edgeworth looked very drained from the little outburst just then, somehow smaller and rougher. He rubbed at his temples, muttering something about his head. Phoenix followed him as he padded through his apartment to his medicine cabinet. He blinked hard, looking almost annoyed at the bright lights in his en suite bathroom. He carelessly tapped out some pills for migraines onto his palm, swallowing them dry in one deft motion.

Phoenix watched, slightly unnerved at the bedraggled sight of his normally prim and proper friend. His friend that would normally chew off his own foot than admit he had emotions. His friend that now stared at his own haggard appearance in the mirror, breath heaving and eyes slightly swollen.

It was easy to forget how much Edgeworth _felt_ , how much he cared, sometimes.

Phoenix had a feeling that Edgeworth forgot it himself sometimes.

Edgeworth frowned at his reflection, and ran a hand down his face. He teetered back to the kitchen, bracing himself against the wall as he pinched the bridge of his nose. His gray eyes roamed tiredly over the kitchen before settling on the wine rack above the sink. His fingers wrapped around the neck of one of the bottles gingerly, avoiding the grape juice bottle next to it.

Edgeworth leaned heavily against the counter, resting the bottle against his stomach as he distractedly fumbled with the cork. His eyes were settled vacantly on a spot on the floor a ways, not watching his hands until...

The bottle slipped from his grip, shattering against the floor. Jarring in the dead silence.

The wine was as red as spilled blood against the pale tile.

Edgeworth watched it spread, breathless.

He stayed stock still like that, even as his legs slowly gave out. He slid down the cabinet on his side, until he was sat on the cold floor with his legs tucked underneath him. His throbbing temple rested against the cabinet door.

He made no movement, nor sound.

His unfocused gaze was still fixated far away.

_(Oh, Miles...)_

Phoenix watched as a tear finally broke free and silently trekked down the plane of the prosecutor's face.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to radstarmuffin for beta-reading!! I hope you get to see a dog today
> 
> this chapter ended up being longer than I thought, so I had to split it into two whoop
> 
> I think I want to take a bit of a break to maybe do some art and a short drabble this week, but next chapter should be coming soon. Thanks for reading and all the lovely contents!!


	5. 1:29 PM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “The things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.”  
> -Luna Lovegood, HP:OOTP

After finally getting tired of pacing the hall, Maya opted to sit on the floor outside the bedroom-turned-crime scene. Blackquill leaned against the wall next to her, looking bored, while Athena re-read through the court record for the dozenth time, blue eyes bright.

It felt like a lifetime since Ema and the other officers had gone into Aoi's room. With each minute that went by, Maya could feel one more anxious knot form in her gut. She tried not to show the steadily building powder keg of overwhelming dread that seemed to fill her as each new unpleasant surprise of this case unfolded. As much as she wanted to shut herself in her room and bury her head under the covers for a week, Kurain needed its leader, Nick needed her, their friends needed her.

So dang it, she was going to keep going. There was time to grieve for her student later.

She would cry only after this was all over.

Maya looked up at Blackquill, vaguely wishing she could maybe channel some of his aloofness the way she could channel spirits.

She stood up and leaned against the wall beside him, folding her arms and squaring her shoulders like he did. It took a couple of attempts, but she felt like she managed to capture the essence of his grumpy grimace. Taka looked down at her as if puzzled.

Maya smirked smugly to herself.

_(Nailed it.)_

The door to Aoi's room suddenly opened, and a couple officers left the scene, followed shortly by Ema who was frowning at her PDA notes. Athena wasted no time cornering her.

“Did you find anything? What happened?”

“ _Give us the deets!_ ” Widget beeped.

“We've finished our preliminary examination of the scene for now. We're waiting on the coroner to arrive to take the body back for a proper autopsy so we can know more,” Ema said.

Maya sagged, “And to think I was just talking to Aoi last night. And now this.”

“I'm sorry, Maya,” Ema frowned, sympathetic.

“I would remind you all that this makes for an even bigger problem. Marigold came here last night,” Blackquill said darkly, “The fact that Aoi is now found here dead paints a very interesting picture to say the least.”

Maya found herself paling to the color of cold oatmeal. She turned to Ema wide-eyed, gripping her lab coat, “Wait, Marigold wouldn't do something like this! Please tell me you didn't find anything incriminating in Aoi's room that would point to Marigold.”

“Actually,” Ema said thoughtfully, popping a chip into her mouth, “We didn't.”

Athena began to bawl, “Oh say it isn't so-” Suddenly she blinked and whipped her head around to Ema, “Wait... did you just say you _didn't_ find anything against Marigold in there?”

“Not _yet_ , no,” Ema said pointedly, “I've only dusted part of the scene, but so far I've found none of Marigold's fingerprints on Aoi's body that would suggest they fought. However, it looks like Aoi died from strangulation via a piece of fabric. Once we find the murder weapon then we can know if Marigold actually handled it. But so far that's yet to be determined.”

Maya nodded, solemnly bracing her hands together, “I understand...”

“Looks like we're on the lookout for two murder weapons,” Athena mused with a thoughtful tap on her earring, “So much for an open and shut case, huh?”

“There was also something else that I think exonerates Marigold here,” Ema said.

“What?” Maya asked.

“The time of death. Rigor mortis hadn't even set in, so she died within the last four hours.”

“Are you trying to tell me there's another murderer around here?” Maya groaned.

“But how could they, Ms. Fey? All the villagers have been inside, or else in view of an officer patrolling the hallways,” Athena pointed out.

“Could this injury have been self-inflicted then?” Blackquill asked.

“I would say not with the way the body was positioned. Plus there was one other thing I noticed that was kinda weird. I'm not sure what to make of it,” Ema tapped her chin.

Maya held her breath, not quite sure how many more surprises she could take today.

“The cause of death was definitely strangulation,” Ema continued, folding her arms, “But that bruise on her neck from the injury was old. Like, as in a couple weeks old.”

Maya shook her head, “But how...you just said she died within the last 4 hours! Me and Nick talked with her just last night, the other acolytes can verify that. Now you're saying she died a couple weeks ago?”

Ema shrugged, rolling a chip between her fingers, “I'm as puzzled as you are. But I'm telling you, the bruising is all discolored like you normally see several days after the injury. We'll have to wait and see for the proper autopsy to reconcile the gap between the fatal injury and the time of death.”

Maya rubbed at the steadily building migraine that was starting to thunder behind her temples, “Ugh...what happened to Kurain?...”

_(Nothing makes sense anymore without Nick...)_

Blackquill stepped forward, “Detective, please let us investigate the scene ourselves. We don't have anymore time to waste around twiddling our thumbs.”

“Go nuts,” Ema waved her hand, beckoning them through the door. “I was about to start dusting for those prints. Just don't touch the body.”

Inside the bedroom, Aoi had been covered with a white sheet as they waited for the coroner. Her heart ached a little bit at the sight, but Maya tore her eyes away from the figure, forcing herself to refocus on the investigation.

Ema had gotten straight to work dusting the door handles, eyes narrowed in concentration under her pink goggles. Meanwhile, Athena and Blackquill had pulled on latex gloves and started poking around in Aoi's dresser drawers, frowning when they found nothing more interesting than socks and spare training robes.

Athena gave her a forlorn look, “Ugh...Any thoughts, Ms. Fey?”

Maya tapped her cheek, looking around the room, “Marigold came in here last night...but why?”

“Maybe she was just waiting around to talk to Aoi. You said they had been acting weird around each other. Maybe Marigold was trying to confront her?” Athena suggested.

“Maybe...I had thought that at first...” Maya pouted, “But Marigold's not really the confronting type. She wouldn't even say anything to _me_ about what was bothering her.”

“Then what?”

“I dunno, maybe...maybe she didn't get the chance to tell me...” Maya paused at the sudden thought.

“But we talked to her at the detention center and she refused to talk there too.” Athena put her hands on her hips.

The loose thread felt like it came unwound more quickly the more Maya picked at it. “If she couldn't tell me...she wasn't just scared to talk, she didn't have all the information to even be _able_ to talk.”

“You think she was looking for information?”

“Yeah...I don't think she was waiting here for a person, Marigold was here _looking for something_.”

“Sounds tedious,” Blackquill huffed, “This room is so plain. There's nothing here but books.”

Maya and Athena turned toward the wall of books on the other side of the room. Athena's eyes suddenly lit up with the most intimidating kind of enthusiasm Maya had ever seen.

“Heh heh. Obviously Simon, those aren't just ordinary books.”

“A-athena?” Maya asked uncertainly as Athena confidently marched up to the book cases. Ema lifted up her goggles to watch, munching trail mix loudly.

Athena heffed up her high waisted trousers, looking smug and a bit too excited, “I have read enough mystery novels to know a secret bookcase passageway when I see one, Ms. Fey.”

“A secret _what?_ ”

After unsuccessfully trying to shove the bookcase aside, Athena started feeling around the edges for some kind of secret handle. Suddenly her eyes fell on a suspicious-looking copy of _The Tale of Genji_ , the stoutest and only yellow colored book in the middle of a collection of royal blue bound novels. Athena smirked. She gripped the spine tight. With a dramatic flourish, she yanked the book out, raising it above her head as the bookcase...

...did absolutely nothing.

They all blinked.

A cricket chirped outside.

“Don't you all look at me like that, you were all thinking it,” Athena muttered.

Ema was kind enough to bite back her laugh. Blackquill was not.

As Athena berated Blackquill as he howled with laughter, Maya continued staring at the wall of books.

_(I was so sure it would have something to do with the books...)_

Maya flopped down at Aoi's desk, stumped. She rested her chin in her hand dejectedly. Looking down, several pieces of paper in the waste basket caught her attention. The words on the paper there were not hand written notes, but printed pages from a book. Pulling on her own latex gloves, Maya reached down and took several of the pages out of the garbage.

_(That's weird. Aoi was Kurain's resident book nerd, what's she doing ripping them up?)_

She realized they weren't just torn pages as she looked harder though. The border was missing, some words were even cut off.

_(Wait, but that would mean-!)_

Maya suddenly stood, grinning widely and waving fistfuls of crumpled up pages, “Athena, I don't think you were too far off about the books!”

…

There was very little that Phoenix would not at that moment wish for more than the ability to shake Edgeworth by the shoulders.

The prosecutor had not moved since collapsing under his own weight in the kitchen. His hands laid limp in his lap and every slow breath seemed like a great effort. His usually sharp intelligent eyes were red rimmed and hazy.

Phoenix couldn't stand it.

It was too painful. Too wrong.

He wanted so badly to scream his presence at the prosecutor. To break everything until Edgeworth knew, until Edgeworth understood, that he did not leave him behind.

Phoenix eyed a stack of teacups by the sink with interest before deciding against throwing them across the room. Frowning to himself, he realized Edgeworth was just too much of a skeptic for the likes of him to contact, much less converse or even comfort. At best, Edgeworth would be annoyed at his spontaneously breaking possessions and find some logical loophole to explain away possessed inanimate objects. Or, Phoenix mused, at worst he would cause a freak out of the highest proportions in the already fragile man, and make him question his sanity and provoke another mental breakdown.

Phoenix liked to consider himself a bit of a paternal figure, a provider. However after so many years of helping people in their lowest moments, Phoenix had to reconcile being unable to be there for Edgeworth this one time. He was truly useless in this state.

Phoenix furrowed his brow, looking over worriedly from his spot in Edgeworth's dining chair at the prone man. He deeply regretted coming here on his own, feeling foolish without someone to interpret him.

_(You can wait until Maya gets here, can't you?)_

Edgeworth heaved a sigh, letting his head sag against the counter. His eyes fell shut.

Phoenix grimaced.

As he peered around the corner into the living room however, he was struck with an idea.

Maybe he wasn't able to contact Edgeworth meaningfully...

_(But Maya's not the only person I can interact with.)_

He leapt from the dining chair, to a painting, to a cabinet door above Edgeworth's head. Quietly as he could, he opened the cabinet door to swing closer to just within reach of the living room curtains on the other side of the threshold. Pess scratched herself before settling down once again in her basket with a yawn. Phoenix shimmied down a stack of DVDs and into a small crate of dog toys. He gave an almighty heave.

Pess perked up, head tilted in confusion as one of her tennis balls spontaneously popped up out of toy crate, bouncing a couple times across the floor. She rose, creeping toward the ball cautiously. She jumped slightly however as the tennis ball suddenly rolled backwards slightly before speeding off. She watched it roll under her long legs with curiosity before going to chase after it, panting happily.

Phoenix rolled the tennis ball into the kitchen. Pess watched from the threshold as the ball came to a gentle stop next to Edgeworth's knee.

The dog gave the kitchen a small sniff, nose twitching at the mess of broken glass and wine. However when she saw her master apparently crumpled in on himself on the floor, she lowered her head, whimpering nervously.

The small sound roused Edgeworth slightly. He opened his eyes and rolled his head just enough to look over at his dog.

Pess keened, immediately padding across the the floor to nose at Edgeworth's face, his shoulder, his limp hands. Edgeworth let out a small humorless huff as Pess gave his cheek a couple good licks. He finally relented to stroke her soft head.

“Thank you, Pesu,” he murmured hoarsely as the dog settled herself in his lap, partially burying Edgeworth in her off-white floof. Neither seemed to notice nor care. Phoenix was just glad the prosecutor didn't seem to be wallowing in grief alone anymore. Although, Edgeworth's eyes were still red and glassy and his voice was rough when he spoke.

Phoenix had a feeling Pess was a little more than just a simple pet when Edgeworth revealed he had adopted a dog; however, he had never seen Edgeworth _talk_ to the animal the way he did then.

Edgeworth stroked down Pess' back, looking up blankly at nothing in particular.

“I'm sorry I'm...not quite myself...Wright has...” he took a shuttering breath. “Wright has once again left me at a loss of what to do...”

Pess licked at his hand, as if reassuring. He watched the pink tongue slip over his pale knuckles as he talked low.

“...I am not sure how to recover from this...I do not know if I can...”

Pess let out another whine. His hands shook in her soft curls.

“Where was I, Pess? Wright was in danger and I was in my office doing paperwork...” He said bitterly. “So many times Wright has saved me and I did nothing and now...”

Phoenix shifted in the tennis ball.

_(You say that like me and Trucy would have made it through my disbarment without your help, Edgeworth.)_

Edgeworth continued lamenting in a breathless murmur, “He has a daughter, Pess...I...I will be expected to face Trucy soon...a child left behind by a single father...how am I supposed to deal with that ...not again...not again...I don't have the slightest idea what to say to her...”

Edgeworth slumped forward, burying his face in Pess's fur, “Pathetic isn't it...ah, but just talking about it like this won't change anything...you can't change the past...” he said, anguished.

Phoenix had already felt slightly guilty spying on his vulnerable friend, but now he felt truly voyeuristic. The scene of the cold prosecutor clutching his dog on the kitchen floor didn't seem decent enough to be seen by any person. Phoenix moved to slip back into the living room.

Edgeworth's voice stopped him in his place.

“We should leave...”

Phoenix stiffened.

The prosecutor was looking down at the dog in his lap with such a determined frown it immediately worried Phoenix.

_(I see those cogs turning in your head, Miles. And I do not like what they are churning back out.)_

Edgeworth wiped his eyes resolutely and nudged Pess out of his lap. Phoenix and Pess followed him through the apartment as he quickly stalked off to the bedroom. Edgeworth dragged out a suitcase from the closet and set about emptying as many clothes as he could into it. He didn't seem to be paying attention to what he was doing as he crossed the room and back again muttering to himself, “For the best...for everyone...should have more than enough vacation days for a leave...”

Pess watched her master dolefully from the foot of the bed.

After Phoenix tried and failed to close Edgeworth's drawers on him and move objects around to just out of reach as Edgeworth packed, Edgeworth only seemed to grow more ruffled and annoyed. He folded his shirts away with force. If anything he looked more eager to leave.

Defeated, Phoenix returned to the chess piece inside the suit pocket on the bed, unsure where Edgeworth may be going but determined to follow no matter what, as powerless as he was.

Edgeworth zipped his suitcase closed, “Come along, Pess.”

As Pess trotted obediently out of the room, Edgeworth redressed messily in his shed layers. The small chess piece, locket, and badge weighed heavy in his pocket as he loaded up Pess' dog crate and started the strangely tense drive to the airport.

…

“This should make things go a little bit faster,” Ema said as she approached the bookcase with ever faithful aluminum powder in hand. Maya and Athena watched intently as she began to go down the line of books, dusting the spines lightly with her brush. One by one, a handful of those books stood out as the powder revealed frosty white fingerprints from having been touched recently.

Ema smirked proudly, “Whose gonna take the first look?”

Maya worried her lip as she took a hard gulp, but stepped forward anyway. With slightly shaky gloved hands, she gripped the spine on the nearest book with the fresh fingerprints. Otherwise, however, the book did not look nor feel any different than any other book as she held it. But, if her hunch was right, then the inside should be anything but.

She braced herself and let the book fall open in her hands.

“...What the-?”

The inside pages had indeed been hallowed out as Maya had suspected from the cut out papers in the trash. However now the book seemed to hold...

“It that...a face?”

Athena and Ema had identical puzzled looks on their faces as they peered over Maya's shoulders.

“It's a mask,” Blackquill said, snapping a picture of the book and the flesh colored mass within with Ema's investigation camera.

_(That really doesn't help make this any less weird...)_

“Wait a sec...”

Maya frowned, looking at the mask more closely. She carefully pulled it out of the secret compartment, and held it up. It was clearly the mask of an older man, complete with a plethora of wrinkles and a half bald head of white hair. It was eerily lifelike, and very high quality.

_(Jeesh...it even has pores and nose hairs...)_

Athena flinched slightly, “Ugh...creepy...” she said staring at the empty holes for the wearer's eyes.

“I...think I know who this guy is...” Maya said slowly.

“You do?” Ema looked surprised.

“Yeah. I could have sworn this is a guy I channeled last month. His wife was a client. I should still have a copy of the picture she gave for the channeling in our records. But I'm positive this is the same guy.”

“What in the world would Aoi want with a mask of a dead man?” Athena asked.

“More importantly, why did she try to hide it in a book?” Blackquill asked darkly.

“Check another book, see if there's more,” Ema suggested.

Blackquill pulled another book off the shelf. When he opened it, there was another mask, this time of a younger woman.

Maya gasped, “I know her too! I channeled her last week!”

A third book pulled out by Athena revealed the same thing: a mask of someone Maya had recently channeled.

“The more we learn...the less sense this case makes...” Athena said dejectedly.

Maya couldn't help but agree. She just couldn't see any benefit of Aoi having the masks of people that she had channeled.

Ema snapped one more picture of the mask in Athena's book before stuffing the camera away in her messenger bag. “I'll get the forensic team in here to collect the masks and start running tests. Hopefully we can find some answers for you.”

As Ema was talking however, Maya became distracted by a strong smell. It reminded her of the incense and candles that almost continuously burned throughout the village, but so much more potent.

Eyes widening, she looked up at the bookcase. A stream of smoke had begun to billow out from the top row of books. Blackquill had followed her gaze and barely had time to voice his own surprise when the books burst into flame, charred black in an instant, as if soaked in gasoline.

“The evidence!” Ema cried out.

Blackquill barely managed to grab Ema's outstretched hand before angry red flames exploded out several feet, tendrils of heat scorching the ancient wood.

Maya held out an arm to shield Athena as she used her own sleeve to cover her mouth as the building smoke began to sting her eyes.

“H-how did the books just _do_ that? It's like they just combusted!” Athena shouted.

“Let's figure that out somewhere we won't get barbecued,” Maya called above the roar of the spreading flames, “This way!”

They ran out into the hall, coughing, as the flames began to climb up the walls of Aoi's bedroom. A couple random villagers and police officers who had happened to be roaming the halls watched wide-eyed as the four raced down the hall, smoke and fire flickering behind them.

Maya yelled out in her best I'm-in-charge-and-totally-not-freaking-out commanding voice, “Fire! Everyone out of the manor! Now!”

Fortunately, no one needed much convincing.

Unfortunately, they were now saddled with putting out a fire that was at least a couple hours away from a fire station.

…

The airport seemed distant, despite the fact that Edgeworth was standing in the middle of it. People parted around him, like he was a rock in a running stream. He stared up at the list of flights above the desk, however he did not make a move forward. He stayed with one hand clenched around the handle of his suitcase and Pess obediently at his side. After a quiet moment of watching, unseeing, as flight statuses changed, Edgeworth let out a defeated sigh, bowing his head. Phoenix watched as he turned away from the flight list and shuffled over to a bench. He sat down, slumped forward, head in his hands and elbows braced on his knees. Pess settled her head on his foot as she napped.

After running his hand down his face, Edgeworth reached into his pocket. His slender fingers brushed against Phoenix before lightly gripping the attorney badge there. Edgeworth held it delicately, face blank but pewter eyes stormy, as he turned the badge over and over in his hand, letting the afternoon sun catch it from the large wall of windows behind them.

Phoenix watched the broken man pitifully. Truth be told, he felt just as broken as Edgeworth.

_(I'm sorry, Miles...I'm sorry I can't really be here for you. I tried my best...I failed you...)_

A broad shadow suddenly fell over them. Edgeworth and Phoenix looked up to see a familiar shaggy form grinning sheepishly.

“Thought I'd find you here, sir,” Gumshoe said, hiking up his pant legs to take a seat next to Edgeworth.

Edgeworth straightened up, curling his fist around the badge, out of sight. He let out a weary huff, “Am I really that predictable, Detective?”

“You're a man of creature comforts, I would say,” the police captain said kindly.

Edgeworth's mouth tightened. They sat in silence for a moment, looking up at the flight list again, as if in their own world. A soft kind of tension hung in the air, as they avoided each others gaze. People passed them by.

“So, where are you off to this time?”

“...I don't know yet...” was the soft reply.

Gumshoe slumped back, crossing his legs, still not looking at Edgeworth, “What are you gonna do?”

Edgeworth's fist clenched tighter, gaze unwavering from the screen, “I don't know...Wright was...a large reason I _did_ anything these past several years...” was the even softer reply.

Gumshoe seemed to be thinking it over as he twiddled his large thumbs, or perhaps was just speechless from the surprisingly sentimental confession.

Eventually though, as if he hadn't said anything, Edgeworth shook his head and frowned over at Gumshoe, “Wait, but what are _you_ doing here?”

Gumshoe relaxed into a dopey smile, “Me? I was actually on my way to see little Trucy. Had a few things at the station I had to give her.”

Edgeworth stiffened at the mention of the girl, his free hand tightened around his knee, unnoticed by Gumshoe. The police captain continued, grinning, “Then again, I guess she's not so 'little' anymore, but ya know how it is...She's been though a lot, hasn't she?”

Edgeworth looked like he had been carved from marble.

“I had only gotten to see her once today for a little bit. I also wanted to say hi. And,” his thick eyebrows knit together thoughtfully, “I'm sure she would like to see you too.”

“...Detective...”

“I'm just sayin',” Gumshoe rubbed the back of his neck, “She thinks a lot about you. It would do you both some good to talk.”

Phoenix found himself blinking at the sudden realization.

_(Yeah, Trucy and Miles did get really close didn't they?...He probably cared for her the most aside from me...)_

Whether it was helping with math homework or staying up late to help make her costume for the next magic show when she was younger, or even just giving Trucy a safe place to go when the case to get his badge back got rough, it was Edgeworth who was there.

_(Why didn't I see that before?)_

“I'll keep that in mind,” Edgeworth said quietly, eyes determinedly drawn down to a certain spot on the tiles.

Gumshoe nodded, years of experience telling him that would be as good a response as he would get.

“I know you'll do the right thing, Mr. Edgeworth.”

Gumshoe stood, fluffing his trench coat before shuffling away. Edgeworth watched him go, brow creased. Suddenly his expression relaxed into a small smirk. He called out, “Since when did you become so bright, Detective?”

Gumshoe turned chuckling, scratching at the gray streak of hair at his temple, “Guess I got it from you, sir.”

Edgeworth huffed a laugh as Gumshoe left with one last lopsided grin.

Edgeworth's smile faded as he looked back up at the board of flight listings. He let out a sigh.

While Edgeworth still looked so conflicted, Phoenix on the other hand had come to a moment of clarity: he had not left Edgeworth alone. Edgeworth had never been alone, like he had thought. After everything Edgeworth had done, and everything they had been through together, the man had become a part of the family. He was just as mismatched and adopted as the rest of its members but still just as valid.

Phoenix also realized it was where the man belonged right that minute.

Luckily Edgeworth seemed to have started to come to the same conclusion.

He reached back into his pocket and took out the three trinkets, looking at them in his palm. Phoenix stared back, his inanimate self reflected back in Edgeworth's glasses.

He wordlessly reached over to the core in the locket beside him.

Edgeworth jumped in his seat slightly when the locket sprang open seemingly out of nowhere, narrowly catching all the trinkets when he started to drop them in his surprise.

Looking down, the smiling face of Trucy greeted him now. He bit his lip, gripping the locket tighter as he ran his thumb around the edge of the picture.

His brow set into a determined line.

He closed the locket gently and put all the trinkets back in his pocket, standing.

“Let's go home, Pess.”

Edgeworth picked up his suitcase and the dog carrier, and trotted off briskly with Pess at his heel.

…

Throughout the whole day, Trucy had been in a strange limbo of itching to do things yet having none of the motivation to actually do them.

She had lounged on the couch in her pajamas for a good part of the morning, unheard of for her since her magic career started taking off. But she knew she needed the time off.

Even with the knowledge that her father wasn't entirely gone, she couldn't help but feel that things would never be the same.

The apartment already felt much too quiet without Phoenix banging around the kitchen trying to cook, or talking on the phone with another weird client, or blasting showtunes, or yelling at the copy machine...

She turned on the TV for background noise, and phoned in to Sunshine Coliseum to cancel the show tomorrow, like she promised Maya she would. Thankfully her troop was more than understanding. Bonnie came to visit later, bringing a bouquet of flowers and a hug, which Trucy appreciated.

After Bonnie had left, Trucy changed into her normal clothes and, feeling slightly better, started cleaning the apartment with some music blasting. Organizing her magic props to be more properly scattered around the apartment made it seem less empty. Although, she couldn't bear spending more time getting her things from inside the office than she had to. She kept her eyes away from the desk and the notes still bearing her father's handwriting as she moved around the room. Otherwise she managed without incident.

She was organizing the flowers from Bonnie when Maya and Athena found her in the living room a couple hours later.

Trucy frowned at their downcast faces and slightly sooty clothes, “Whoa. What happened to you guys?”

“The investigation got weird...” Maya said dejectedly, “We found another one of my acolytes dead. Which is weird enough, but then when we actually started to get on to something, a fire started at the crime scene.”

Trucy immediately jumped up from the couch, “Oh no! Was anyone hurt?”

“No,” Athena said, “Thankfully the fire went out surprisingly fast when we managed to get some water on it. It barely took three buckets of water before the fire seemed to sizzle itself out. And luckily only Aoi's room was damaged.”

“Lucky? It still managed to barbecue all our evidence we had in that room,” Maya muttered, pouting.

“We have to wait for Ema and her team to sift through all the wreckage, but at least Simon offered to stay behind to watch over the scene 'to be certain those buffoons don't muff up the evidence a second time',” Athena said, squaring her shoulders and dropping her voice down an octave in a rather convincing imitation of Blackquill.

“All we got now,” Maya said, “Is the mask of one of my old clients that we found in one of the books Aoi had.”

Athena dug it out from the court record. Trucy recoiled at the rubbery sight of the old man's mask, “Ew, creepy...”

“And we don't even know anything about it!” Athena lamented, as Widget flashed red, “We have no idea why Aoi would have it. It's just weird!”

Trucy fretted, blue eyes watery as she looked down, “Sounds like you have a lot of work to do before you can get justice for Daddy...”

Maya immediately felt guilty at Trucy's despondent tone. Athena looked like she felt the same. She had perked up, and had hoisted up her already high-waisted pants. “Hey, hold on there, we haven't given up yet, so neither should you! This was just a speed bump. The case isn't over yet,” Athena assured her.

Trucy brightened a little at that.

“Speaking of Nick, have you heard from Edgeworth today?” Maya asked.

Trucy shook her head, looking a little surprised, “Mr. Edgeworth? No, not today. I figured he was...well, I didn't want to bother him...he was close with Daddy...”

They jumped at the sound of a knock at the door.

Maya was the one to answer, her face splitting when she saw she was there, “Gumshoe!”

Gumshoe shuffled in with a matching grin. Trucy relaxed, barely able to reach around his middle for a hug, “Hello again, Gummy!”

Gumshoe's shoulders shook as he chuckled, “Hey, pal. I wanted to give ya this bouquet that got sent to the station,” he said.

“Another?” Trucy asked. But she took the bundle of sunflowers anyway. Although truth be told, the small kitchen table was starting to become over run with them. Besides Bonnie, others had sent flowers with their condolences as Phoenix's passing was released to the press earlier that day. So far the flowers were mostly from larger groups that could afford same day delivery, like the Lordly Tailor, the Gatewater Hotel, Global Studios, and to top it off an obnoxiously large bouquet of white roses from the Big Berry Circus. They all bore the same sentiment though: _For Mr. Wright, from all your grateful clients_.

“There was also another thing...” Gumshoe stepped aside from the doorway to reveal a very uncomfortable looking Edgeworth gripping at his arm. He blinked at the group like a deer in headlights.

Trucy looked just as surprised, “Mr. Edgeworth, what are you doing here?”

Edgeworth hesitated before stiffly stepping over the threshold, gulping as he stood in front of Trucy. The other three held their breath as they watched them. Unseen, Phoenix stiffened in Edgeworth's pocket, in lieu of a breath to hold.

Edgeworth spoke down to his feet, “I...must apologize, Ms. Wright...I almost did something very cowardly...and I...” He let out a long breath; the tension seemed to melt from his throat, his shoulders. He forced himself to look up and meet Trucy in the eye, although his own eyes had started to well up. He made no move to wipe them, “I'm sorry.”

Trucy's own lip began to quiver and her eyes teared.

“Your father was the light of my life,” Edgeworth said firmly. “I was beside myself when I heard...of his passing. But I had forgotten...”

“What?” Trucy asked softly.

“You. I had tried to hide from you, to hide from this grief, but,” he sucked in a breath, frowning at the effort to form words, “That was a disservice. Not only to your father's memory. But to you as well. You have become just as important to me these last few years I have known you.”

“Mr. Edgeworth...” Trucy sniffed.

Phoenix was speechless.

_(You really feel that way?)_

“You're a grown young lady,” Edgeworth continued, awkwardly folding his arms, “I know you can take care of yourself, but if there is anything you ever need. I would like to help however I can. Also...”

Trucy watched glassy-eyed as Edgeworth reached into his pocket. She held out her gloved hands. Edgeworth wordlessly dropped the golden locket into her palm.

He looked down uncomfortably at his shoes again, “I took it upon myself to pocket a couple of things of Wright's. But I believe this should belong to you.”

The gold flashed in her shimmering eyes. She ran her thumb around the heart shaped pendant, clicking it open to reveal her own smiling picture.

“It's not much but after-” Edgeworth was cut off as Trucy threw her arms around him, winding the man. Edgeworth looked terrified, but Trucy just buried her face into the ruffles of his cravat.

“Thank you.”

Edgeworth gradually relaxed at that, until his chin was rested on the top of her head. He patted her back, gently.

Phoenix smiled contently, feeling secure that his makeshift family would truly be alright.

The tender moment however was broken by a loud sniffle as Gumshoe and Athena blubbered into Maya's shoulders. Maya patted them consolingly on their heads while she herself had a watery grin.

“Oh come now,” Edgeworth tsked, looking much more like his intimidating self.

“Sorry sir,” Gumshoe wiped his red face with his sleeve, “Can't help it...”

Trucy merely giggled, stepping forward to give Gumshoe a grateful hug which he returned fiercely.

“Thank you too, Detective” her voice was muffled in his coat.

“Anytime, kid.”

With a last nod from Edgeworth, Gumshoe left with a promise to keep in touch, still sniffling loudly. Trucy gave Edgeworth another squeeze around the middle as she sidled up beside him. Maya clapped him on the shoulder, “I must say I'm surprised. What brought out this sudden mushy side, Mr. Grumpy Pants?” she asked, eyeing his pocket suspiciously.

Edgeworth's neck turned hot and red, blending into his slightly wrinkled jacket, “I really should give credit to Gumshoe for rousing me to my senses before I could leave.”

“...Just Gumshoe?”

“Yes? Why do you ask?” Edgeworth frowned.

“Just wondering...” Maya said airily, looking away, “But, are you sure no one else was around?”

“I'm positive no one besides my dog was in my apartment today, Ms. Fey, if that's what you are implying.”

“So, nothing weird happened all morning?”

“No.” Although as Edgeworth said it, stuffing his fists into his pockets surlily, he felt the chess piece there, and his mouth twitched into a deeper grimace.

Trucy seemed to catch on to Maya's implication; a sly smile grew on her face.

Maya decided it best to just rip the proverbial bandage off, “Edgeworth there really isn't an easy way to say this...”

“What is it?”

“Well, it's about Nick,” she said, playing with the end of her sleeve, “He's well, he's still here. Like here here.”

“Like paranormal,” Athena offered.

Edgeworth looked predictably unamused as he rounded on them, grave, “Ms. Fey, I have been very tolerant with your...abilities, as well as your magatama, and psycholocks-”

“Psyche.” Maya corrected.

“As you said,” he waved his hand dismissively, “But that talk is rather inappropriate right now, and I won't have it in front of Trucy.”

“It's true Mr. Edgeworth, I saw it for myself!” Trucy gripped at his sleeve. Edgeworth looked down at her strangely, unconvinced.

_(Looks like that's my cue.)_

He gave a hard nudge.

Edgeworth jumped nearly a foot in the air at the sudden sensation of the chess piece hopping around in his pocket.

“Something wrong there?” Maya grinned coyly.

Edgeworth looked at them wildly as his coat pocket kept wiggling.

“Take it out!” Trucy urged, smiling.

Gulping and biting his lip uncertainly, Edgeworth slowly reached down into his pocket. He scooped out the wriggly contents and held it out in his palm. Before his eyes, the chess piece righted itself, standing tall and spiky as ever.

Edgeworth's hands shook, “What is the meaning of this?”

Finally close enough to Maya's golden core, Phoenix leaped over from Edgeworth's palm.

She offered him a wide grin, even as the swirling red liminal space around them seemed to try to draw them deeper. “Hey again, Nick.”

“It's good to see you Maya. Trying to get through to Edgeworth was a bit of a mess,” Phoenix said.

“I bet. At least it seemed to work out in the end,” Maya nodded.

“Really wish I could talk to him though, like I can talk to you,” Phoenix admitted.

Something seemed to click in Maya's mind, “Hold on a sec. I wonder...”

Phoenix found himself fading out of the liminal space and back in the living room.

Maya gently took the chess piece from Edgeworth. The group followed her as she carried Phoenix into the office, and grabbed a pad of paper and a pen.

_(I think I see where you're going with this...)_

Phoenix reached out to the core in the pen, unfortunately he did not have enough control to write anything on the paper. Although the face Edgeworth made at seeing a pen scribble by itself almost made the little failed experiment worth it.

“Rats,” Maya pouted, “Nick really wanted to try to say something.”

“Can Mr. Wright use a keyboard instead?” Athena asked.

Maya's dark eyes shimmered with sudden excitement. Before Edgeworth could even ask what was going on, Maya had dug her hands into his other pocket, ripping out his cell phone.

“Ms. Fey!”

“It's for a good cause I promise!”

Edgeworth could only watch as Maya opened his phone to his text messages. She strangely didn't seem to be doing anything, and just stared intently at the screen as if meditating for an awkward moment.

Suddenly, she broke out into a smile and eagerly shoved the phone back into Edgeworth's hands. He rolled his eyes, “Kind of you to return my phone to me, if you don't mind.”

“No! Look at the messages!” Maya pouted as he tried to put his phone away.

Sensing he wouldn't hear the end of it until he humored her, he looked down at his phone. Indeed, he had two new messages.

When he saw who they were from however, his breath caught: they were both from Phoenix's contact.

However he knew for certain that Phoenix's phone was safely locked up in his own office safe with all his other belongings in evidence.

He cautiously selected the notification bubble.

**Wright: Edgeworth?**

**Wright: Can you see this? Did it work?**

Edgeworth froze, reading and rereading the words. Phoenix watched him anxiously from the cell phone.

“It's like we said, Daddy is here,” Trucy said gently, gripping at his stiff arm.

Edgeworth blinked at her, then back down at the words, those crazy illogical words.

**Wright: You look like you've seen a ghost**

Edgeworth cracked at that, rolling his eyes, “Well it has the same sense of humor, I'll give you that.”

**Wright: It's really me, Miles**

**Wright: How else would I know about the fushia sweater that Trucy made you for christmas. It's like 3 sizes too big. You never wear it in public or say how much you like it, but I've seen you wear it around your apartment so many times**

Edgeworth sucked a breath, shaking his head, “This...this joke is really not funny.”

“It's not a joke,” Maya said somberly, “I promise.”

**Wright: It's true. It's Phoenix.**

**Wright: Are you okay?**

“O-okay?” Edgeworth fumed, “I'm...I'm _furious_! I have seen you survive my megalomaniac mentor, falling off a bridge, being hit by a car, and possible execution in a foreign court. And I come to find you so casually done in on a _weekend trip_. You...! And I...I am _beside_ myself. I _can't even believe_... _How dare you_...!”

Phoenix couldn't help but smirk a little as Edgeworth ranted earnestly into the phone.

**Wright: I know**

**Wright: I'm sorry, old friend**

Trucy hugged at Edgeworth's shoulders as he simply sagged as he read the message, it seemed the fight had left him almost as quickly as it had come. “How...” he asked hoarsely, “How is this possible?”

“We're not sure,” Maya said, “All we know is that Nick is here and he can possess inanimate objects. In fact he's been following you around all day. He was worried about you.”

Edgeworth's eyes fell on the chess piece still in Maya's hand, thoughtful, “I see...” After a moment though he shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose with a long suffering sigh, “Ah...Are there any more surprises I should know about?”

“Maya and Athena found a creepy old man mask in Kurain,” Trucy said.

“...Dare I ask?” Edgeworth looked over at the other two.

Maya explained the lost gun, the death of Aoi, and the fire. Edgeworth and Phoenix listened intently.

**Wright: Sounds suspicious**

“I agree,” Edgeworth said, “Much too convenient.”

“The only clue we have now is the mask from Aoi's room,” Athena said, “That is until we find the gun anyway. And we don't even have any leads to go off of with the mask.”

“May I see it?” Edgeworth held out his hand. Maya passed it to him.

Edgeworth turned the rubbery face around in his hands. He eventually found what he was looking for in the seam of the hairline inside the mask: a tag with a name on it.

“'Noh Face'?” Athena asked as she and Maya hunched over Edgeworth's shoulders, “What's that?”

“I believe it is the name of the company this mask came from,” Edgeworth said, “Where Aoi commissioned this piece, it appears.”

“Huh, it doesn't sound familiar,” Maya said, tapping her chin, “And it doesn't explain what Aoi was doing there.”

“At least we know where they came from now,” Athena said positively, “Next we should go there and talk to the mask maker. Maybe Aoi mentioned something about why she wanted the mask while she was there.”

“If it was Aoi that bought the mask at all. A mask this quality must have been very expensive,” Edgeworth pointed out.

“All the more reason to go!” Maya chirped, looking much more up beat than she had all day now that they finally seemed to find a loose end to follow, “Let's go! Let's go right now!”

“I'll accompany you,” Edgeworth straightened his jacket, following Maya as she started pushing Athena out the door hurriedly.

“Me too!” Trucy started to grab her boots.

Edgeworth looked uncertain, “I would rather you stay here, Trucy.”

“Why not? You're going,” Trucy put her hands on her hips.

“I'm not sure what to expect there. And we are going as an investigative team,” Edgeworth said sternly.

“I helped Polly as his investigative assistant!”

They both paused at Edgeworth's phone vibrating.

**Wright: I think you should sit this one out too, Trucy. We already had someone start a fire because of Maya and Athena snooping around**

Trucy worried her lip after reading the message but nodded, “Fine...”

Edgeworth squeezed her shoulder, “We will be back later.”

Trucy answered with another tight hug.

In the hallway outside, Edgeworth followed the two chatty women as they debated whose car to take. He said nothing, seemingly jarringly calm after the emotional roller coaster from the morning, from losing his closest friend to gaining him right back again, somehow. And now here they were off to chase a lead. It was enough to give anyone whiplash.

Phoenix was just glad Edgeworth was there. And...he couldn't help but also feel rather proud.

Edgeworth paused outside his car as Athena and Maya settled into their seats and pulled up the address of the mask shop when his phone vibrated with another message. He adjusted his glasses on his nose as he read.

**Wright: Thank you for coming back for Trucy, that means a lot**

Edgeworth cleared his throat, turning away so Maya and Athena couldn't see his flustered expression, “It...was nothing. I'm sure you would have done something similar.”

**Wright: Still, that was pretty big**

Edgeworth let out a dry chuckle, “Well, between you and Gumshoe, it seems at least a little of your sentimentality has rubbed off on me.”

**Wright: Good to know I could be a good influence**

“Don't give me too much credit,” Edgeworth muttered quietly to his phone as he finally stepped into the driver's seat, “After dealing with her ridiculous father for over a decade, Trucy hardly needs anyone to care for her at this rate.”

He was answered with the chess piece flinging out of Maya's hand to lightly strike him on the temple as he started the car.

…

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SO sorry this took so long to get out  
> July was a rough month for me mentally, hoping things are about to get better though and I can get the next chapter out a little quicker  
> Anyway thanks as always for reading and all the lovely comments, they make my day!  
> And of course thank you to randomstarmuffin for beta reading and giving good advice, I hope you get a cookie of your choice today


	6. 4:30 PM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Pants are an illusion and so is death” - from Avatar: the Last Airbender

A tinkling chime above the door was the first thing that greeted Maya and Athena as they stepped into the shop, Noh Face. The second thing that greeted them was an overwhelming wall of masks covering every corner of the little shop.

It was hard not to feel watched with the dozens of staring eyes watching from around the room.

Athena watched as Maya went up to one of the more traditional looking masks on the wall. After considering it a long moment, she stuck her tongue out at it, waiting expectantly for a reaction. To her credit, the mask had a vague living quality to it, despite the fact that it was clearly wooden and stark white.

The masks on the walls were clearly crafted with care in incredible detail. Most confusing though was the apparent identity crisis the shop had. On one hand, Maya was faced with a wall of very traditional japanese masks, mostly Noh theater masks, as per the shop's namesake. On the other hand, across the room, Athena was faced with a wall of masks that looked like a much more traditional halloween store which burst with color compared to the pale Noh masks. And it offered everything from small plastic children's masks, to grotesque latex monster mugs, to stunningly realistic celebrities and other characters.

Athena picked an incredibly lifelike mask of the Evil Magistrate off the wall, complete with a sufficiently pointy mustache. She stretched the features suspiciously in her hands, frowning, “I'm definitely getting a nefarious vibes from this place.”

“I dunno, once you get past the creepy factor this place is pretty cool.”

Athena turned to Maya only to be confronted with a face of a t-rex mid roar right behind her.

“ _Yipe_!”

 _Thud_.

Maya took the dinosaur mask off, offering a sheepish smile to the collapsed attorney, “Heh, sorry there.”

Widget and Athena let out synchronized sighs.

The bell jingled above the door again to announce Edgeworth's entrance. He spoke quietly into his phone, “Yes, I've just arrived now, Trucy...of course, I suspect we'll be returning to the apartment after we're done. I'll let you know what we find then...yes...good-bye.”

Edgeworth paused, finger on the end call button, frowning as he saw Maya helping Athena off the floor, “Dare I ask what you two have managed to get up to not two minutes after entering this shop?” he asked dryly.

“Everything's fine, Mr. Edgeworth!” Athena chirped, popping up.

“Besides most everything here is rubber, so kinda hard to break anything!” Maya waved the t-rex head brightly for emphasis.

Edgeworth's brow crinkled at the floppy carnivore, unimpressed, “I see...”

Shaking his head, he stepped purposefully up to the vacant counter near the back of the shop, “Hello? Is anyone here?”

“Be right with you,” a weathered voice called from behind the split curtain leading to the back of the shop.

A moment later an elderly man breezed past the curtain, greeting them with a deep bow. He wore traditional robes and a Noh mask, with chisled pale cheek bones and a whispy thin white beard sprouting from its neutral expression. However, as the man tilted his head back, the shadows caught the mask's features just so that it looked as if the mask suddenly started smiling benevolently.

“Welcome to my shop. Please don't hesitate to look around at my fine work.”

“You're one of the mask makers?” Maya asked.

The man let out a breathy laugh, wooden face somehow smiling wider with pride, “Why yes, my child. You may call me Terasu, I specialize in the ancient arts of mask making. All you see on the wall there is my handiwork.”

“Impressive,” Edgeworth said, mouth tight as his eyes never wavered from Terasu, “In that case, you should be able to help us with this...” He pulled the mask from Aoi's bedroom out of the court record, “This mask appears to have been made here. We would appreciate it if you tell us more about it.”

Terasu handled the mask in his surprisingly nimble hands. As he tilted his head down to examine it, the shadows on his mask changed, now hitting him in such a way it looked like he was frowning. After a thoughtful but brief once-over of the mask, he held it out from himself disdainfully, “Ack, _plastics_...”

Edgeworth frowned, impatient, “Well, are you able to help us?”

“Yes, yes...” Terasu said distractedly while he laid the mask on the counter, still looking disgusted, “This mask was indeed made here, but not by myself. I only deal in the more _refined_ arts. This...ah, _item_ would have been made by my granddaughter, Majora.”

“It's imperative that we speak with her then,” Edgeworth said, Maya and Athena nodded vigorously behind him.

“Very well, sir,” Terasu bowed his head, deepening the frown on his mask. “Majora!” he called to the back room.

A moment later a young woman materialized behind the counter. At least, they could assume it was a young woman, as she kept her face hidden behind a snarling werewolf halloween mask.

This time Maya was the one to jump back with fright. Edgeworth's phone also did a small flip out of his pocket as Phoenix was jumpscared by Majora's mask. However if Majora took any notice, she didn't show it. Instead she greeted them cheerfully, grotesque rubber snout bouncing with the effort, “Hello, there! Was there something I can help you with?”

“Ah, y-you're Majora?” Maya stammered.

“Yep!” her ears pointed straight up with pride, “I make all the more contemporary masks around here in the shop! Including this beauty.” She said, pointing at her horrific mask.

_(Beauty?!...I guess it did give a good scare...)_

“That would make you the creator behind this mask then?” Edgeworth pointed to the rubbery likeness of the elderly man on the counter.

To their surprise, Majora barely had to look at the mask before she turned to them nodding, “Why, sure I did.”

“Really?” Athena and Maya elbowed near Edgeworth toward the counter.

Majora shrugged casually, unperturbed by their intense expressions, “Sure, I made this one and a few more realistic masks like this for a customer a couple weeks ago. Why do you all ask? Did you want one? They're my specialty!”

“No,” Edgeworth frowned at the werewolf's chipper attitude, “I'm afraid we have reason to believe whomever ordered this mask was involved in at least one murder.”

“ _What?!_ ” That finally seemed to startle Majora. Her faux fur stood on end. She tugged on the ears as she seemed to panic, snout decompressing with every heaving breath inside her mask.

Meanwhile, her grandfather Terasu shook his head, shadows throwing a deep frown on his stiff masked face, “For shame, for shame,” he said sadly, “Majora what have I told you about selling to unscrupulous characters? Ever since the Phantom debacle, we must be weary.”

“I can never make you happy, can I?” Majora's shoulders sagged, “I'm sorry. I just wanted to bring in more money for the shop. We don't get a lot of business outside of Halloween.”

“We're sure you didn't mean for anything to happen,” Maya said kindly.

Athena nodded in encouragement, “Is there anything you can tell us about the person who bought the masks?”

Majora shook her head, pointed ears flopped dejectedly, “I can't tell you much. They contacted me through the shop's business email. They sent the request for the masks and a handful of pictures of people as models. They offered a good price. I finished the masks and mailed them off to a PO box in the city like the customer requested. I never saw their face.”

Edgeworth's face had slowly begun turning the same color as his suit as Majora went on, “You made realistic masks for a person you never met?! Do you not see how questionable that is?!”

Majora's rubber snout inflated slightly as she huffed an indignant breath, hands on her hips, “Hey! Business is business, man! I thought it was weird, sure! But honestly its not the weirdest thing a customer has asked for. After dealing with the whole Demasque craze, I kinda don't question people anymore.”

Athena stepped up before Edgeworth could burst a blood vessel, “Did you get a name for the order, at least?”

“Sure. They did sign a name in the email. I could pull it up for you.”

“If that's even the person's real name at all,” Edgeworth frowned, finger tapping furiously on his crossed arms.

“Don't worry about that,” Athena flashed a smile Phoenix knew all too well, “If it's on a computer, I can work some magic with Widget to get all the info we need about this mystery guy.”

The small robot's face glowed brightly with determination around Athena's neck, “ _Let me at 'im!_ ”

Terasu nodded, bowing, “Very well. You may enter the back room and use our computer for your investigation. I hope you can clear our names.”

“Follow me,” Majora opened a small door on the side of the counter and let them pass through the curtained doorway to the shop's dim backroom. Terasu crossed his arms, obviously still upset, but said nothing. As the telephone by the register rang, he answered as he watched them go.

The backroom was mostly filled with boxes of office supplies and a table for paperwork, but in the back corner an ancient box of a computer sat idly under a mound of postage supplies.

Majora jumped up on the dilapidated swivel chair and started to turn the computer on, immediately triggering the whirs of many fans within the old thing, “It shouldn't take long for me to find the emails. I only got the request the other week..”

Phoenix suddenly got the sense out of the corner of his vision that something had moved. Whatever it was didn't seem to have much of a shape, and it was gone just as soon as it arrived, but he was positive something had passed through the back of the room from the main shop. Still, nothing seem out of place, and he could hear Terasu hanging up the phone at the counter, which only made him more confused.

Before he could think to write a message to Edgeworth about it, everything had gone dark. The computer and all the lights popped as the power went out. Only the light of Widget remained, highlighting Athena's face as she gripped the back of the office swivel chair in surprise.

Edgeworth merely grumbled, “ _Now_ what?”

There was a sound of shuffling as Terasu made his way toward them, feeling along the boxes by the wall, “Are you all alright?”

“We're fine,” Edgeworth said quickly, “What happened?”

“I believe a fuse has blown. All of the lights in the shop do not seem to be functional,” the old man said gravely. “Booting up that infernal contraption probably caused it, I suspect.”

“Go on, Grampa, tell us how you really feel,” Majora deadpanned as she stood from the office chair and turned to the others, “But no worries. I can go downstairs to the fuse box and fix it. Then I should be able to get those emails for you all.”

Edgeworth stuck out his arm as Majora began to step forward, stopping her. He worried his lip, “Actually...I believe this black out is too convenient for my tastes. If I may, I would like to go and look at the fuse box myself.”

“I know what you mean. I'll go with you too,” Maya stepped close to his side.

“If you think it best,” Terasu bowed, “The fuse box is downstairs in the workshop in the back corner.”

“Oh!” Majora rummaged around in a desk drawer before turning to them with a hefty flashlight, “It's dangerous to go alone, please take this.”

“Ah, thank you...” Edgeworth took the flashlight, and with Maya hanging off his arm they followed Terasu to a closed door in the back of the room. Behind it, there was a very dark staircase leading to an even darker basement. Together they descended.

Phoenix was not affected by the darkness like the others. He was able to see around him in the dark just fine thanks to his ghostliness. However that did not stop him from being unnerved by the workshop. There were a couple rows of tables, and storage shelves all along the walls. And every surface of the room seemed to be covered in tools and half finished masks, vaguely face shaped lumps of wood and plastic. Worse still, he got the sense of being watched in a way that had nothing to do with all the blank mask eyes.

He reached out from Edgeworth's cell phone, “Maya...hey, Maya...”

“Nick?” the spirit medium blinked at him.

“Something's weird. I think there's someone else here.”

Maya wrapped her arms around herself tighter, staying close to Edgeworth, “Nick you really can't just say stuff like that in a place like this, you know.”

“Sorry...just, keep your eyes peeled, okay?” Phoenix said seriously.

“Ugh...”

Edgeworth looked down, brows furrowing in concern as Maya gripped his sleeve, “Something wrong?”

“Not sure...” Maya sighed, “Let's just get out of here quick.”

“Very well...”

True to word, the fuse box was in the back corner, flanked by shelves of fake hair and covered in dust. Maya held the flashlight for Edgeworth as he fiddled with the fuse box.

That was when it happened again.

Phoenix saw more movement out of the corner of his vision, but this time it did not disappear from view. The thing stayed there, watching.

It was a blue flame, not unlike the form that Phoenix himself took after waking from death. It sat perched in a hammer on the work table in the opposite corner of the room.

Phoenix froze staring at the other ghost, “You're-!”

The lights suddenly flickered on again as Edgeworth flipped the last switch. He dusted off his hands, “There that should-”

He was cut off as a wooden mask shattered against the wall, inches between Edgeworth and Maya's faces. Startled, they both turned around. Phoenix could only watch as the unfamiliar ghost rose up and up. It flickered, bright and blue, suspended several feet above the ground in the aisle before them.

“You're...free-floating?” Phoenix breathed.

The ghost said nothing, and with no face, Phoenix could not be sure, but he swore he could feel the contempt roll off the floating spirit like heat from a fire.

As Maya and Edgeworth were rendered speechless by the appearance of the apparition, it struck. The ghost reached out with a wispy tendril of fire, possessing the work table. In a feat of strength that Phoenix could never hope to match, the ghost lobbed the table into the air at the group.

That at least seemed to shake Maya out of her stupor. She grabbed Edgeworth by the sleeve, pulling him out of the way before they could be crushed. Together they began to run back toward the stairs. Phoenix could hear the ghost make a grunt of annoyance behind them.

As they rounded around another work table, just feet away from the stairs, Phoenix noticed a second surprise. A second ghost had leapt up onto the table, possessing a paintbrush in a can. It sat poised unseen like a cat waiting to pounce on Maya and Edgeworth as they ran by. Luckily the world of the ghosts permitted Phoenix some time; he leapt from Edgeworth's phone to a wooden board leaning against the wall to be used for carving. He gave it a nudge, and the board fell over on top of the ghost, blocking it.

At least, that was what Phoenix had hoped for. There was a brief moment of calm before the board burst into flame. The ghost burned bright hot, appearing nearly white. It screeched horribly, apparently reveling in the flames, “ _Burrrrrrn!_ ”

Edgeworth pulled Maya around the table, coughing into his sleeve, as they tried to avoid the growing surge of fire and smoke. Meanwhile the other ghost had taken it upon themselves to possess tools around the workshop to fling at them. As a wood carving knife went sailing through the air, it took all of Phoenix's coordination to possess a wooden mask to stop it before it could hit Maya in the back, instead catching it in the unfortunate mask's forehead as he hopped into the air.

As their victims began to get away, the free-floating ghost grabbed hold of the flaming worktable, and chucked it without a hint of difficulty. Before it could bear down on Maya and Edgeworth, Phoenix desperately zigged through the clutter to a cabinet. With a grunt of effort, he managed to nudge the cabinet just far enough to topple over, crashing into the table and stopping it in its tracks. He felt exhausted, but he watched Maya and Edgeworth scramble up the stairs to safety, relieved.

The basement crackled with fire around him, embers glowed dimly across the floor as the cabinet began to catch fire.

“How annoying...” the free-floating ghost said.

“Bu-uuurrn...” the second ghost murmured, sounding dazed.

Phoenix couldn't help but feel anger course through him. He sunk into the ghost world, facing the two properly for the first time, “Who are you two!”

His voice reverberated in the swirling red void.

When they finally did manifest before him, they took no form, instead remaining faceless intimidating blue flames. Although their voices sounded female.

The first ghost seemed the most stable, and so was the first to acknowledge Phoenix.

“I see...so you _did_ come back. Nevertheless,” the ghost's voice was cold and flat as freezer air, “We have little interest in you. So I will say this only once, very plainly: stand aside.”

Phoenix gritted his teeth, “While you're trying to hurt Maya and the others? No.”

“ _Burn_...”

“It's you two isn't it? The one that's been trying to hurt Maya...Marigold...Aoi...this is all happening because of you.”

The free-floating ghost flickered silently. Phoenix could feel its unseen eyes stare down at him hard, “If you choose to interfere, you will seal your own fate. Please choose wisely.”

“Or what? Are you going to kill me?” Phoenix couldn't help but smirk.

To his surprise the ghost let out a light airy laugh. He tried not to let it show, but it made his nonexistent stomach twist in a knot, “Oh, my fool. There are many worse fates than death.”

Phoenix bit his lip.

The ghost shifted, apparently looking him over, almost curious, “I see we are still at an impasse. Well then, you leave us no choice but to convince you. Last chance to change your fate, Mr. Wright. Do you relent?”

Phoenix gave the ghost a steely cold gaze of his own, “I already died to protect Maya. Do you really have to ask that?”

The ghost flickered mutely. The flames grew.

“...it is your choice...”

…

After Maya sprinted through the door, Edgeworth immediately slammed the workshop door shut and slid a nearby stack of boxes in front of it as a makeshift barricade.

The shadows on Terasu's mask were thrown into a frown. “What is the meaning of this? What was all that noise, and is that a _fire_ I smell?” he barked.

“There was a...situation...” Edgeworth explained lamely.

Maya grabbed hold of Athena and Majora, “We need to get out of here and, wait...where's Nick?”

As she turned towards the door again, she was met met with a passing vision of Phoenix in the ghost world as he phased through the door, “Look out!”

The next second, the door seemed to explode as the free-floating ghost barreled through, scattering splinters and boxes everywhere. Athena let out a screech. A moment later, Phoenix saw the second ghost weave its way up the stairs and into the room. With a piercing cry it lunged for the computer across the room, and with a shower of sparks the computer began to fizz and catch fire. Majora and Terasu watched in horror and confusion.

Edgeworth pushed them along toward the exit until a fiery arm blocked the curtained doorway out. The free-floating ghost angled on Edgeworth intently, seemingly drawn to his pocket where Phoenix rested inside his cell phone. In a lightning fast motion, the ghost gripped Edgeworth's cravat, pulling it tight with one appendage while another tendril reached into his pocket, surrounding the phone with heatless flame.

“This will do...”

Before Phoenix could ask what the ghost was doing, it had opened the contact history and started to pass _through the phone line_. Like lightning through a power line, the ghost was sucked through and away. The second ghost followed not too far behind, leaving a confused smoldering disaster in their wake.

…

Pictures littered the couch around Trucy. In her quest she had dismantled several half finished photo albums, but she had finally found the perfect image for her purposes. Although she still felt melancholy, going through all the happier memories and having a project to focus on did make her feel better. She couldn't help but smile to herself as she cut the shape out of the picture, so careful.

Finally satisfied, she picked up the locket. With gentle gloved hands she removed her own portrait from inside and slid in the new one. She let her thumb linger over the grinning face of her father, now forever immortalized from a sunny day at the park soon after he got his badge back. She closed the locket and slipped it over her head. The weight felt comforting against her chest. She sighed.

Trucy was suddenly roused from the calm by the trill of her cell phone.

“Wonder if that's Mr. Edgeworth?”

The caller ID confirmed her hopes; she beamed a little as she answered, “Hello?”

“ _Zssshhhsskkkkkk_...”

“Mr. Edgeworth...?”

More static answered on the other end.

Shrugging, she hung up, “I hope they finish soon...wonder if they found anything...”

Trucy set about sweeping up the photos into a pile on the couch, unaware of the hovering ball of blue fire watching just behind.

...

After leaving Athena to help Majora and Terasu, it didn't take long for Maya and Edgeworth to work out where the ghosts had gone. At least, Phoenix hoped his suspicions were right.

Edgeworth didn't even bother turning off his car once they got to the WAA, leaving the doors open to race up to the office. Maya skid to a stop, and started banging on the disconcertingly quiet door.

“Trucy! Are you in there? Open up!”

Silence.

Edgeworth and Maya shared a look.

Edgeworth knocked loudly, “Trucy?”

They were answered by the sound of a chair falling over and breaking glass.

“ _Trucy!_ ”

They both became frantic, trying to unlock the door and then throwing their weights against it to throw it open. However the door remained stubbornly closed tight. Phoenix quietly passed through the door, and quickly found the reason: the dining table had been wedged upright against the door, bracing it closed.

He had no hopes of moving a table that large that far; with a grimace he decided to leave it and headed deeper into the apartment.

Other than the rouge dining table in the hallway, nothing else seemed to be out of place. Except for the repeated sound of Maya and Edgeworth ramming against the front door, the apartment had gone quiet again. This only made Phoenix more nervous however.

_(Please be okay...)_

Mentally preparing himself, he hopped through pictures on the wall toward the living room.

Instead of a living, he found a small war zone. Furniture was upended, the TV had a vase through it, dirt from Charley's shattered pot was scattered everywhere. Most disturbing of all however, was Trucy using the couch as cover while the free-floating ghost hovered in the middle of the room, casually flicking DVDs hard enough to embed into the couch cushions. The only good thing seemed to be that the other ghost didn't appear to be too interested in burning the apartment down just yet. Instead they seemed to be gleefully scorching through Phoenix's scented candles on the windowsill across the room.

_(Now, that's just rude...)_

With his presence, the free-floating ghost paused and angled toward him. Even with no face, he could hear the smirk in her voice, “Ah, you did manage to arrive to watch. This is good.”

“Leave Trucy out of this!”

“Leave _yourself_ out of our business, and I happily will,” the ghost said.

“...”

“You have your answer then.”

“Wait!”

The ghost turned back towards the couch. Trucy watched with wide eyes as the shadow of the couch loomed above her as the ghost lifted it into the air with one long fiery tendril.

_(Trucy!)_

Trucy acted quickly in a way only years of improvisation on stage and handling dangerous props could make. The couch caught nothing but air as it crashed to the ground. Meanwhile Trucy bolted for the office in the next room. Phoenix was able to grab hold of the locket to follow her as she ducked behind the desk for cover.

She peeked over the top, panting. Her blue eyes reflected the eerie pale light of the free-floating ghost as she hovered closer to the doorway. However her view was suddenly drawn to the computer monitor on the desk which had suddenly switched on. As she watched, a word document opened and the keyboard began to move by itself. A single word appeared on the screen: ' **dad** '.

Trucy broke into a smile, “Daddy! You're here!”

The ghost swiped at the wall, knocking the pictures frames off to shatter on the ground. Trucy frowned, “What are those things?”

' **ghosts. must get out**.'

“No kidding,” Trucy rolled her eyes.

' **be careful**.'

“Don't worry, Daddy. I got 'em on the ropes!” Trucy said brightly.

A heavy law book sailed no less than three inches above her head.

If Phoenix were not already dead his soul probably would have left his body already. Naturally though, Trucy didn't seem to care.

' _ **please**_ **be careful**.'

“Of course!” Trucy gave the monitor another grin, “Don't worry, I'll be fine, as long as they don't find the-”

Her face dropped at the sound of a trunk clicking open. The free-floating ghost pulled a dozen swords from within. They glinted as they all turned to point directly at Trucy, suspended in mid-air.

Trucy blinked, “...Oh...”

_(TRUCY WRIGHT WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT KEEPING SWORDS HERE YOUNG LADY?!)_

The first sword flew forward, stabbing into Phoenix's desk chair where Trucy's forehead had been a half-second earlier. Trucy bolted again for the door, however a second sword _twanged_ into the wall directly in her path. Before a third could find its mark, she ducked into the only cover left in the room: her magic cabinet prop.

Phoenix tried to possess a book and knock a sword off its aim, but he was no match for the onslaught. Sword after sword sliced right through the magic prop with a sickening thud, covering head to toe until it looked more like a battered dart board, or a pin cushion.

“ _No_...” Phoenix quivered.

The ghost paid him no mind, apparently looking at the carnage, satisfied.

His vision faltered, “This can't be happening...”

He felt like he had died all over again.

The ghost finally turned toward him, the cold smirk still apparent in her voice, “Do not be surprised. You were warned, after all. This is what happens when you disobey the elders.”

“No...Trucy... _she can't be_...”

“Believe it fool,” the ghost snapped, “She is slain because of you. See for yourself.”

She reached out with one fiery appendage and began to pull out a sword. However as soon as she did, all the panels on the magic cabinet began to fall away. They clattered to the floor noisily, one by one, revealing a very empty Trucy-less space.

Phoenix and the ghost blinked, stunned.

“H-how-?”

The ghost flared brighter with rage, “ _Where did she-?_ ”

She was cut off by the sudden sound of a loud whir coming from behind them. The ghost was suddenly pulled down from the air. She let out a high-pitched shriek as the flickering tail of her flame body was forcibly pulled into the vacuum hose held tight in Trucy's hands.

“How dare you insolent-!” the ghost began to snarl.

Phoenix could only watch speechless as the ghost clawed uselessly at the carpet, trying to grab hold of a core to disappear to but it was too late. With one last grunt of resistance and an audible 'pop' the ghost was sucked into the vacuum.

Trucy gave the vacuum hose a small twirl as she turned it off, teeth flashing in a smile, “Told you I had everything under control!”

Phoenix groaned.

_(Oooh. I feel faint...)_

The vacuum bag gave a violent shutter and the machine began to buck across the floor. The ghost's voice called from inside, “Decima! Where are you when I need you! _Get me out of this accursed contraption_!”

There was a hiss of smoldering plastic as the other ghost slowly climbed around the corner through picture frames, melting and disfiguring the pictures as she went, “ _Help...Sis...ter..._ ”

Using an impressive reach, the demented ghost stretched across to the core in the vacuum. Within seconds the machine began to smoke and melt. Trucy gave a small cry, dropping the hose.

Phoenix quickly reached up from the book on the ground to a core in the piano. The keys played tuneless notes as he moved across it to grab hold of the locket as she fled the room. Trucy stalled in the living room, panting. Phoenix gave the locket a gentle pull towards the hallway. She followed.

At hearing the sounds of the frantic knocking on the other side, Trucy threw herself into the large task of dislodging the stubborn table blocking the only door.

Meanwhile, Phoenix found himself at a loss of what to do.

_(Think, Wright, think...okay, first things first. We need a way to put out any fires from that one creep...)_

He moved from the locket to an umbrella leaning against the wall, then to a couple pictures down the hallway. An idea struck him as he passed the kitchen.

When he had burned the waffles all that time ago, far more than the smell and the embarrassing call to the fire department, the most annoying thing to deal with had been the buildings sprinkler system soaking everything. He hated it at the time because he had to stay inside for a week with a hairdryer trying to dry Trucy's props as well as his ruined law books. But now?

_(Perfect...)_

He raced as fast as he could across the cores to the kitchen. Luckily it was still there from that morning, sitting on the counter: the infamous waffle iron.

_(Maya, if this works, I will never complain about you not doing the dishes ever again.)_

He swung across the cabinet drawers, a cookie jar, and one levitating fork of spaghetti to get to the waffle iron's core. Once there, he turned it on as hot as it could go.

There was a sound suspiciously like an exploding vacuum from the office.

_(C'mon...burn faster...)_

A blue light grew brighter in the hallway as the free-floating ghost came closer. She stopped in the doorway of the kitchen. He could feel her turn and look at him, unenthused.

“Honestly, now. This hardly seems like an appropriate time to eat, wouldn't you say?”

“Um...”

The ghost floated into the room, “I have to pay your daughter back for that little trick earlier. I don't think you'll want to miss it.”

“ _Burn..._ ” the other ghost, Decima, hissed as she flitted into the room.

_(Almost there...)_

The free-floating ghost reached out with her flaming hand for the waffle iron. Phoenix clenched uselessly to hang on. Suddenly a strong stream of smoke started to pour from the waffle iron as the leftover bits from the morning began to finally burn, radiating heat. There was a breathless moment of calm before the smoke detector started to wail. The next moment, all was chaos.

With only a seconds delay as the pipes filled with water, the sprinklers sputtered to life. The effect on Decima was instantaneous. She began to recoil and crumble under the water like the Wicked Witch, letting out a horrid screech, “ _Burns! It burns! Nona, it burns me! Burns..._ ”

“You-!” the free-floating ghost, Nona, flickered agitatedly with anger. Before she could retaliate however, she was held back by the pained shrieking of her sister flinching as each drop of water hissed painfully as it struck her.

“Miserable wretch...” she sighed, “So be it then.”

She reluctantly but dutifully picked up Decima where she rested in the core of a spatula and brought her to the phone on the kitchen wall. Phoenix watched them, frowning but relieved, as they disappeared through the phone lines once again.

_(Good riddance.)_

Phoenix relaxed, letting the waffle iron grow cold. After a moment the sprinklers finally fizzed to a stop.

He gingerly found his way back through the very wet kitchen to the hallway. Just as he turned the corner, Trucy, very drenched, gave the wedged table's leg a heave, bracing one leg against the wall as she pulled.

“C'mon... _budge_...I know you want to...” she ground out.

Phoenix obliged her with a nudge to the table. And like that they both clattered to the floor as the table fell.

Freed, Trucy opened the door. She was immediately swept up by Edgeworth, “What happened? Are you hurt? Do you need a hospital? Did I just hear the smoke alarm go off? I was worried sick!” the prosecutor blurted in one breath.

Trucy couldn't help but smirk as he alternated between inspecting her for injuries at an arm's length only to clutch her close to his chest the next second, never minding her dripping clothes leaving marks on his suit.

“I'm _fine_ , Mr. Edgeworth.” Trucy managed to wrap her arms around his middle in a reassuring squeeze. Only then did Edgeworth finally seem to relax, letting out the breath he had been holding to return the gesture.

_(Heh. That was probably the fastest I've ever seen him move.)_

“I don't blame him. I was about to burst down the door myself.”

Phoenix turned to Maya, “Please don't break my things, I kinda need them now, you know?”

Maya's eyes twinkled as she faced him in the Ghost World, grinning, “C'mon now, I'm glad you're both okay. But...” her face fell, “It was those other ghosts, huh? They were here?”

“Here, and gone again,” Phoenix said.

“Just our luck,” Maya pouted.

“We managed to save Trucy. I feel plenty lucky right about now.”

Maya nodded thoughtfully, humming in affirmation as she turned away from him and the Ghost World to pull Trucy into her own hug.

“Oh!” Trucy pulled away, looking at them bright-eyed, “You never called to tell me what you found at the mask shop.”

“Oh, yes...” Edgeworth shook his head, “We may have found a...tentative lead on who ordered the masks.”

“And those ghosts?”

“We found those too,” Maya frowned, “It's so weird. I can't tell who they are like I can with Nick. And they're so _strong_.”

“They mentioned something,” Phoenix said slowly to her, “One of the ghosts called themselves 'elders', and that their names are Decima and Nona.”

“Elders? Like a Kurain Elder?” Maya tilted her head.

“Maybe. But...I think they definitely where involved in the plan that killed me.”

Maya shook her head, horrified, “Why would a Kurain Elder ghost want you dead? You're my best friend, how could they?”

“I don't know,” Phoenix said gently, “But they really didn't want us to find out who ordered those masks if the fires are anything to go by. I bet if we find that out, things will start to make sense. We just have to keep digging, just like we always do.”

Maya looked off worriedly into the swirling void of the Ghost World, “I hope you're right...”

“I always am.”

Maya wiped her face, giving a weak laugh, “That joke's still not funny you know.”

Phoenix just smirked.

“Maya?” Edgeworth asked, plainly concerned that the spirit medium had spontaneously seemed to meditate while standing.

The talk managed to perk Maya back up. She clapped her hands together, turning towards the others, newly focused, “Sorry about that. Uh, speaking of the mask shop, any word from Athena?”

“Now that you mention it...” Edgeworth took out his (currently ghost-less) phone and dialed.

Athena answered on the second ring, “Hey! Good news only _most_ of the mask shop backroom burned down. The fire department saved the rest.”

“Very good, Ms. Cykes,” Edgeworth sounded steely, determined, “Have you started the search for our mysterious mask client?”

“I'm with Majora and Mr. Terasu in a patrol car headed to the station right now. I'll get them set up on a secure computer there to work my magic.”

Edgeworth didn't look pleased, but he nodded anyway, “Keep us updated.”

Maya grimaced as he hung up, “More waiting?”

“For now,” he said simply, folding his arms, “We must be patient.”

“I know but...” Maya wrapped her arms around herself, Trucy hugged he shoulders sympathetically.

“Listen, I think Kurain may be in danger. I can't afford to wait much longer,” Maya said firmly.

“What would you propose we do then?” Edgeworth cocked his eyebrow.

“Well, I...” Maya hesitated, “I've been thinking and, from all the evidence we've gathered...I think I want to talk to Marigold again.”

Edgeworth tapped his pointer finger against his bicep as he considered it, “What ever for? I thought she was unwilling to speak on much this morning about the incident.”

“I know,” Maya looked at the ground, “But I can't give up on my student. We know she was had gone to Aoi's room last night. I think she had been trying to tell me something was wrong before that. I owe it to her to listen now.”

Trucy and Phoenix looked at Edgeworth expectantly as he stared at the spirit medium. Maya kept her head bowed, ashamed and unsure as ever.

She startled when Edgeworth touched her shoulder, surprisingly gentle although his face was hard to read.

He gave her a single nod, “We will go to the detention center then.”

...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the people that care: Firstly, so sorry about being gone for 2 months (although I'm kinda glad, bc this chapter is strangely appropriate for october). I had to job hop a couple times and didn't really have any time/energy for anything creative, but I finally found something stable and I really wanted to finish this story for the people that were getting into it, and there are certain parts to come that I'm proud of that I want to share. I hope to finish this story by the end of the year. Thank you every one who has stuck around and left nice comments, I hope you all get to see a cat today. Especially to randomstarmuffin, who has continued to be a lovely beta reader, I hope you get to see two cats.  
> Also I probably should mention I am not japanese, but using japanese masks seemed the most logical based on the setting of AA. I just got all my info on things like Noh masks from here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noh#Masks and https://db2.the-noh.com/edic/2008/11/terasu.html  
> Also, I would like to say that Nona the free-floating ghost is based on the more traditional depiction of the Hitodama (flying blue spirit flame) and Decima is more loosely based on the will o' the wisp, in case anyone was interested  
> Next chapter is p intense, not gonna lie. At least I hope so. Prepare your buns.


	7. 5:42 PM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'We can start and finish wars,  
> We're what killed the dinosaurs,  
> We're the asteroid that's overdue.  
> The dinosaurs will turn to dust,  
> They'll die because we say they must...'  
> -J.D. in 'Our Love Is God' from Heathers: the Musical
> 
> Heads up: So I wouldn't say I have Ghost Trick spoilers in this story, per say. But it's kinda hard to say anything about Ghost Trick without it feeling spoiler-y, you know? At least, please just know that the rest of the story has elements that are probs going to sound weird if you haven't played Ghost Trick! Thanks

Marigold could almost feel the heat of the fire as it began to lick at her rooted feet. However all she could think about, all she could watch, was the dark outline of Kurain Village as it slowly crumbled into the raging flames.

The strange light of her disintegrating home blocked out the stars in the night sky above. Instead flecks of ash and embers from her singed flower garden filled the air.

It was all horrid to watch, she felt like her insides had been scooped out leaving only a void. Her breath threatened to steal away from her. Yet she found she could not move to act, not even to save herself much less the village.

She could only watch it burn.

A great legacy, a great home, reduced to rubble.

And what was worse, she seemed to be alone. No one else came to help put out the flames.

_Did no one else care?_

That was when she saw it, the figure in the middle of the flames. She gasped, eyes widening. Slowly the figure turned towards her. The light caught in their expressionless eyes. Marigold's heart stopped.

“M-mystic Maya?”

Maya said nothing. Her face was blank, as if unseeing. The flames around her grew higher. The heat gently rustled her long robes.

“Mystic Maya!”

The Kurain master bowed her head, almost looking serene as the flames blocked her from view.

Marigold's scream finally woke her up.

Her heart was still pounding in her chest. It took her a long moment to realize that she was crying. She sighed, tenderly releasing her white-knuckled grip on her bed sheets to wipe at her face.

With a grunt she flopped back onto her cot, breathing in the blessedly cool air of the detention center, letting her arm rest across her swollen eyes.

_(So tired...)_

She couldn't help but feel it ironic that she was happy to be waking up in detention. Still, she would've been even happier to get some sleep. She'd had no real rest since last night. All of her attempts had been met with similar nightmares, but nothing so jarring as this one.

She curled into a ball, arms still wrapped around her face. However hard as she tried not think about it, the disturbing images from her dream still haunted her as if seared into her mind. The flames...the falling village...Mystic Maya...just _standing_ there...

She curled tighter around herself, digging her palms against her eyes.

_(What is wrong with me?)_

The squeak of her cell door made her jump. Marigold blinked at the guard standing there, who hadn't seemed to notice her skittishness.

“You have visitors.”

…

Marigold blinked as she walked into the Visitor's Room, as if only just realizing she had been moving at all. She went pale once she saw Maya and Edgeworth on the other side of the glass. Maya offered her a reassuring smile, despite her worry at her student's apparent deteriorating condition.

“Hey, Goldie. Hanging in there?”

Marigold didn't answer, instead staring down at her hands as she mutely took a seat.

“I guess you want more from me, huh?”

“That...would be nice, yes,” Maya said with trepidation.

Marigold only seemed to fold in on herself more, biting her lip, and shaking her head. “I'm not sure what else to say. I'm sorry I can't be of any more help, Mystic Maya...

“Goldie...”

Maya hesitated, pained. But as Phoenix's disembodied voice reminded her, “We have a lot of puzzle pieces but still nothing seems to make sense about this case. Marigold seems to be the only link we have to what happened that night.”

With a terse nod from Edgeworth, Maya took a deep breath and pressed on.

“You did tell us you went to Aoi's room last night before the shooting. You never said why, but...it seems like we really need to know to be able to help you.”

Marigold said nothing, staring a hole into a corner of the glass screen.

“Please?...”

Marigold bowed her head, fiery mane of hair falling over her face.

“I can't...”

“What?”

“I only make things worse,” was the soft reply.

“Why do you think that?” Maya leaned closer, frowning sadly.

“I was trying to help...and look what happened...I can't do it again...I can't...”

“...”

“...”

Maya pressed her hand to the glass, looking down hard on Marigold, serious.

“Goldie, Aoi's room burned down this morning.”

That finally seemed to snap Marigold to attention, her head whipped up to finally actually look at Maya, “What?”

Edgeworth put a reassuring hand on the Master's shoulder. Inside her magatama, Phoenix wished he could do the same as Maya continued, “And just now we were attacked while investigating.”

“That's terrible!” Marigold clutched at her chest.

“It's...kinda a long story,” Maya looked away, fingers touching her magatama distractedly, “But Marigold, if we can't get your help now, things _will_ get worse.”

Marigold looked down at her hands again, but did not oppose.

“So,” Maya started, slowly, “You knew something was wrong with Aoi. You went to her room.”

“...”

“Did it have something to do with this?”

Maya pulled out the old man mask from the court record, presenting it to Marigold.

As soon as she saw it, Marigold stiffened, eyes widening, “That's-”

For a tense moment, it looked like Marigold might shut them out again, curling in on herself. Phoenix held his nonexistent breath. Finally though, after a long minute of quiet hesitation and wringing her hands, Marigold seemed to blossom just as her namesake, brown eyes piercing through the glass with a determined glare, “It started a couple weeks ago. I noticed Aoi leaving the manor late at night. I wouldn't have thought much of it, but she wasn't going to the laboratory, she seemed to be leaving the village entirely. I was curious, and more than a little worried. I started getting this strange feeling from her I couldn't describe, something just seemed off. One night I noticed her walking while I was watering the gardens before bed. I followed her to the main gate. It didn't seem too unusual until I saw _them_ together. He gave her a mask like this one. I don't know how, but it seemed like they wanted it to hurt not only you, Mystic Maya, but all of Kurain Village.”

Maya was standing now, “Who was _he_? Who was Aoi meeting with?”

Marigold clenched her fists to still her trembling hands. When she met Maya's gaze, her eyes did not waver. Her small voice rang certain.

“It was Mr. Loki Shun.”

…

The long drive to Kurian Village seemed to fly by in Edgeworth's car. None of the three spoke, wordlessly determined to get to the village as fast as possible.

The pieces were tantalizingly close to falling into place. Phoenix had his theories of course; he was sure Maya and Edgeworth did too. For the long drive though, they could only sit in anticipation of the upcoming confrontation.

The air around the village seemed to pulse with energy as they neared it. Phoenix never noticed it before, and Edgeworth's lack of comment made him think it had something to do with his ghostly nature. He watched with curiosity as the village seemed to radiate, the cloud of energy getting stronger the closer they got.

_(Strange...)_

However he was quickly distracted.

The great yellow RV parked next to the entrance had never been a more welcome sight.

Maya barely waited for Edgeworth to stop the car before storming out. She slammed the door shut, clenching her hands into fists.

“That sneaking snake! I can't believe I let him anywhere near my village!”

“We don't know for certain he has done any wrong doing,” Edgeworth said patiently, straightening his coat as he began to walk towards the RV where a serious looking Ema was waiting.

_(I always thought that guy was kinda shady...)_

Phoenix muttered to himself. He really wasn't surprised Shun might have been involved with the way he seemed to badger Maya. It had left a bad taste in his mouth since he met the man. However he never thought the man might go so low to do some kind of hair-brained scheme. Phoenix was sure that Maya never considered this either.

“You can save your righteous fury for _after_ the interrogation,” Edgeworth reminded them.

“But even Athena's whatchamacallit was able to trace Majora's emails back to Shun's computer! She called us herself! With that and Marigold's statement, that makes him a sneaking snake!”

Edgeworth remained infuriatingly level while Maya steamed, “All that tells us is that Shun probably gave Aoi those masks. That in itself is not a crime,” he said, “We know nothing of his motives or what other involvements he may have had.”

“Other involvements?” Maya suddenly quieted, slowing, “You...do you think it's possible that he may have had something to do with what happened to Nick?”

Edgeworth kept his eyes firmly on the ground, “It's...a possibility. If indeed the masks and the...incident are in fact related at all. Only time and evidence will tell.”

Maya clenched her fists close to her chest where Phoenix rested in her magatama.

Ema raised a hand in greeting, smiling grimly as they approached, “Glad you finally made it. I've been itching to bust down the door and shake the guy up myself ever since you called me from the detention center.” Ema took a vicious bite out of a chip, “This case has wrecked my nerves, I deserve a raise for this...”

Edgeworth hummed, opening up his briefcase to pull out a bag of chips which he lightly tossed to Ema.

Ema caught the bag, grinning in spite of herself. She immediately began to open it, “Ah, this'll do...”

“So you've been watching this vehicle as I asked?” Edgeworth asked as Ema munched.

“Yep! He's in there all right. And he hasn't come out so far,” the detective replied.

“You haven't talked to him at all?” Maya asked.

“No,” Ema frowned, “We got testimonies from just about every single person in the village. But since Mr. Shun here doesn't actually _live_ in Kurain, he kinda got out from under our radar.”

Maya fumed, “That _double_ sneaking snake!”

“Very well. I will do most of the talking,” Edgeworth said, ignoring Maya's outburst. Without hesitation he approached the RV's door and knocked loudly.

“It's quite open! Please come in!” came a voice from within.

The three shot each other looks and entered with equally steely expressions.

The inside of the RV camper was just as eccentric as its owner. It was just as yellow as the outside. Most of the space was taken up by a small kitchenette and many, many filing cabinets that looked meticulously organized. On the wall, several pictures of houses were tacked up. Whether they were past or prospective projects for the real estate broker, they could not tell. Everything looked quite clean and ordered except for the small mound of used coffee mugs in the sink.

They followed the sound of Loki Shun's voice towards the rear of the camper.

Where there was once a small bedroom, Shun now had a very full but organized desk. He greeted them with a charming smile, straightening his bow tie as they approached. His usual pinstripe jacket and hat were up hanging in the corner, and he had his feet propped casually on top of his desk.

“I thought I heard your charming voice outside, Miss Fey!” Shun grinned, opening his arms. “What do I owe the pleasure? You wouldn't be here to accept my offer by chance, I can only hope?”

“We have come to ask you some questions as a matter of fact,” Edgeworth said before Maya had a chance to retort.

Shun turned his attention to the prosecutor, his bright grin never dimming, “Oh? And who may I ask are you?”

“Miles Edgeworth. Chief Prosecutor.”

Well it certainly sounds important!” Shun said a little too cheerfully, “What could the Chief Prosecutor want to ask me, a humbly successful real estate agent in my equally humble mobile home?”

“Are you acquainted with an acolyte of Kurain Village named Aoi?”

“It's likely,” Shun said, stretching back in his chair, “I have introduced myself to many of the residents here while I have been doing business with Miss Fey. They're all quite lovely people.”

“H- _hey_ we haven't-!”

Ema pulled Maya back before she could elbow past Edgeworth. Meanwhile Edgeworth remained cool and forbearing as a stone wall as he looked down on Shun.

“We have reason to believe that you were particularly connected with Aoi. Are you willing to explain this?”

“What reason could I have to be friendly with a random little spirit medium?” Shun laughed lightly.

“We believe is has something to do with this.” Edgeworth pulled the mask from Aoi's room out of the court record. “Marigold claims she saw the two of you together, and you provided Aoi with this. We also have records showing several of these masks were purchased using your computer. Marigold also seemed to be under the impression that this mask was to help harm Ms. Fey as well as Kurain Village.”

For the first time, Edgeworth's words seemed to get to Shun, but only just barely. He lost the small twinkle in his eye as he straightened himself to sit properly in his desk now. Phoenix could tell his smile was tighter, although he still spoke easily.

“Interesting story, I will admit. No wonder you're all looking at me like I'm, as they say, the cat caught in the canary's cage. But why would I ever want to hurt dear Miss Fey? I consider her a valuable client, I will have you know.”

Maya burst out before anyone could stop her, “I'm _NOT_ a client! I will _never_ sell Kurain to you!”

“And there you have it,” Ema said dryly, “With enough pressure on Maya, you could acquire Kurain's property.”

Edgeworth crossed his arms with a huff, “A real estate scheme is quite a droll motive, but a valid motive nonetheless.”

Shun barked a laugh, “Ha! And you think I planned to do all that with a couple flimsy little masks? You give me too much credit, my good sir!”

“All in due time,” Edgeworth shook his head, “If you're half as sharp as you like to dress, I'm sure you could've come up with something.”

“You know what they say, flattery will get you everywhere!” Shun laughed again loudly. “But there's one thing that bothers me,” he abruptly looked serious, “All you've talked about is hearsay and theories. Last time I checked talking to people and buying masks wasn't a crime. Do you actually have any proof that I did anything wrong?”

“You deny any connections then?”

“Why yes. Yes I do.”

Shun and Edgeworth held each other's gaze. Neither flinched nor appeared particularly malevolent, but the tension was palpable.

“...Then no,” Edgeworth said tightly, “We do not have proof at this time.”

“Well then,” Shun leaned back in his chair, grinning once again as he rested his hands behind his head, “In that case, I wish you luck in your investigation Mr. Chief Prosecutor.”

_(Darn it...)_

Edgeworth narrowed his eyes but gave the man a deep bow before turning to leave, “Very well then.”

Phoenix frowned from Maya's magatama. _(We started to get to him with that mask. But Shun's right...we'll need something more solid to connect him to the incident or any possible motive before we can do anything...)_

It was then, as they were about to leave, that Ema stopped dead cold. Her eyes had locked on to a black metal box, a safe, tucked away on top of a filing cabinet.

“Mr. Edgeworth...” Ema touched his arm, pointing at the safe.

Edgeworth raised his eyebrows. He and Ema met eyes. Wordlessly he gave the detective a small nod. With a hard chomp on a chip, Ema rounded back on the real estate agent, “Mr. Shun...”

Shun looked over lazily, rocking in his chair, “What can I help you all with now?”

“What's in that safe over there?”

Shun straightened up, “Oh, just some small valuables. The family jewels, as they say.”

“Funny,” Ema said darkly, “I'm familiar with this brand of safe. It's exclusively for holding guns.”

Maya and Phoenix stiffened at the revelation. Shun gave a bark of a laugh that did not reach his eyes. “And that is a problem? Am I to be suspicious now for talking, buying things, and owning some self defense measures as a high stakes business man? How silly. Perhaps you've all been working too long?”

“I'm just saying,” Ema pressed on, “You would be the only person within several miles of the village in possession of a gun. We haven't been able to find where the gun used last night came from, or who owned it. Our missing gun wouldn't happen to belong to you, would it?”

Shun simply scoffed, not answering. Ema crushed her snack bag in her hand with a disconcertingly loud crunch, turning away, “I can look up your information to find out what type you own and compare it to the bullets we have in evidence. Suit yourself.”

Shun stood, “Do you plan on trying to accuse me of murder now as well? I didn't even know that Mr. Wright fellow hardly at all!”

“Nick wasn't the target...” Maya said softly, “I was...”

“Our theory for you wanting Maya gone still stands in that case. Between both the masks and now the gun, you will have to agree your involvement in these incidents looks more than coincidental,” Edgeworth said.

For the first time, Shun actually looked slightly panicked, holding up his hands as he felt them crowd around his desk, “Whoa whoa whoa there. Let's not forget that you saw that Marigold girl shoot the Wright guy! Don't you all look at me like that!”

“The gun vanished for a reason,” Edgeworth mused, “The fingerprints on it and ballistics on the bullet would have made the gun fine evidence against Marigold.”

“Unless there was something about the gun that somebody didn't want us to know about. Like the gun's owner, for example,” Ema narrowed her eyes at Shun.

“Y-you're all delusional!”

“Perhaps,” Edgeworth said much too cooly, “Can you give us a description of your whereabouts for the last 24 hours? We would be happy to put all these theories to rest.”

Shun ran his fingers through his hair, nervous. He worried his mouth, biting his lips as he worked out a retort. Eventually though he was able to contort his face back into a semblance of his normal easy going smile. He faced the group with some kind of renewed confidence.

_(Ugh. Now what?)_

“You know,” Shun cleared his throat, “It's been a while since I've had to open that safe. Thinking about it now, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't find the gun.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You're right. I do own a weapon which I normally keep in that safe there. However,” Shun grinned, eyes twinkling darkly, “If you do suspect my gun was used last night, then _my_ little theory is that that Marigold girl stole it from here.”

_(No!)_

“You see? That fits doesn't it? I didn't have anything to do with it!” Shun nodded with a satisfied smirk.

Edgeworth frowned as his tapping finger on his bicep reached a fever pitch. Meanwhile Ema wasted no time in pouncing, “That doesn't account for the gun suddenly disappearing! Plus I can easily check the safe for Marigold's fingerprints. If I don't find them then that would prove that Marigold didn't touch the safe and never stole the gun like you claim!”

She pointed her small dusting brush at him, which looked not unlike, Phoenix thought, himself pointing in court.

There was a tense moment of silence. Shun mutely watched a small puff of aluminum dust gently float off the brush and onto the desk. No one seemed to even dare to breath.

Suddenly Shun broke the silence, “That will not be necessary.” His voice was low.

“Uh, what?” Ema faltered.

“You folks are good,” Shun began to loosen his bow tie, calm and steady, “You got one thing right at least. Loki Shun did intend to take Kurain Village all for himself.”

_(!!!)_

“To our credit, we didn't intend on killing Maya at first,” Shun continued.

“We?” Edgeworth pulled Ema back.

“My sisters and I.”

_(You mean you're ...you're not actually-!)_

Loki Shun's face split into a grin, lips pulled back over white teeth in a way that was so uncharacteristic. As the the bow tie slipped from his shoulders, a deep lethal bruise around his neck, just the same as Aoi's, came into view.

Phoenix barely had time to notice the other ghost move in behind them, much less warn the others. He jerked Maya's necklace to the side to pull her out of the way just as an overhead cabinet started to violently crash down on their heads. The desk spontaneously burst into flames. In the middle of it all, Not Loki laughed.

“What's happening?” Ema cried, wide-eyed.

“We'll explain later, run!” Edgeworth pulled her to her feet by her collar.

Maya followed closely behind as Edgeworth and Ema fled the RV. They started to make a break for Edgeworth's car, but suddenly Maya was stopped as a line of fire spread through the grass in front of her. Within an instant a six foot wall of flames blocked her and Phoenix from the car.

“Yipe!” She skidded to a halt, sandals nearly slipping in the dirt. Without losing a beat, she detoured into the village, passing through the gate as it too caught fire. Alarm bells and cries could be heard from the villagers as they too noticed the flames begin to creep along the grass and into the new flower beds. Already people were scrambling for buckets of water when Maya came to a stop next to the Kurain Boulder, out of breath.

“I was wondering how those ghosts were connected,” Phoenix sighed, “Now I guess we know.”

“No kidding.” Maya watched sadly as the panic and the flames grew.

Phoenix bit his lip, watching her face. “First things first, we need to stop the ghosts. What do you normally use to get rid of ghosts you don't want, Master Spirit Medium?”

“Um...” Maya frowned in thought.

Through the haze of the slowly billowing cloud of smoke and dust, Not Loki's silhouette stood out dark. It was the only one not frantically running, instead appearing to be methodically prowling down the lane.

Maya narrowed her eyes at them, gritting her teeth.

“The Magatama of Parting,” she said, looking more serious than Phoenix had ever seen her before, “I can use it on them and sever their connections to this world.”

_(Whoa...)_

Phoenix gave her a nod, “Let's end this then.”

He gasped as Maya suddenly sprang up from her hiding spot, bouncing against her collar as she ran towards the lab.

Down the lane, the movement attracted attention.

Maya burst into the lab,“I kept them in here somewhere...”

Phoenix had the forethought to turn on a light for Maya when she immediately started rummaging through the cardboard boxes and displays on the rows shelving.

A light in the window caught Phoenix's eye. He looked just in time to see the floating spirit of Nona and the shape of Not Loki stalk up the path to the lab.

“Hurry Maya!”

“I'm looking, I'm- ah ha!” Maya pointed up at a suspiciously glowing red box labeled from Khura'in on one of the top shelves.

_(Urg...I have to buy her time...)_

Phoenix nudged a spare box in front of the entrance. He was struggling trying to topple a stone bust when Nona poked her head through the door.

Phoenix froze. They looked at each other.

“...Really?”

“Uhhh...” Phoenix grinned sheepishly.

With one movement Nona flipped the box out of the way. With another she flipped the bust and Phoenix across the room to crash against the wall. Surprisingly the bust didn't shatter at least.

_(Oof...Me and my big ideas...)_

Not Loki strolled in easily. They looked up, unimpressed, as Maya gave a little yelp. It appeared she had forgone using a ladder and instead was trying to climb up the box using the shelves. Her foot had slipped but she had righted herself again.

“Oh dear, we can't have that can we?” Not Loki said.

“Maya, run!”

Phoenix started to zig zag over to her side, but was promptly kicked even further away by Not Loki as he tried to pass.

“I almost got it Nick!”

She was a shelf away.

Phoenix could only watch as the firey tendrils of Nona's arm pulled out the Shichishito from Ami Fey's golden statue across the room. The blunt sword rose into the air.

Not Loki nodded, “An interesting choice...”

“Maya!”

“I almost...I almost got it...” Maya elbowed a box out of the way, sending it crashing to the ground. Her eyes fixed on the box causing the glow, red light leaking from under the lid.

The Shichishito floated just behind her, arching back for an almighty swing.

“ _Maya!_ ”

Her fingertips brushed the box.

The Shichishito came down.

Phoenix's vision went white.

When he came to, Maya was slumped on the ground like a limp rag doll in a pile of artifacts which had crashed down with her, just as still and lifeless as she was.

“......No...”

Phoenix moved towards Maya again. This time Not Loki did not stop him, instead watching the scene almost serenely.

Phoenix reached out to her core.

“Maya?” he called softly.

Instead of a normal vision of Maya in the ghost world, there was a delayed tense shimmery moment of silence. Suddenly a floating blue spirit flame stood in her place.

“ _No!_ ”

Phoenix's heart ached to watch the spirit flame flicker mutely in the great swirling red liminal space.

“How-how could you? Maya was...Maya was...”

“A sacrilegious nuisance.”

Phoenix turned towards the spirit, “What?”

The spirit appeared in the ghost world still looking like Loki, albeit much less animated than the man's usual character. They huffed, looking down at the spirit ball like it was a hair in their soup. “It's not like we wanted to kill her in the first place, you know. But you must admit that silly little girl deserved it. She was stubborn though, I'll give her that. But you know what they say,” the spirit took a much more exaggerated and happy tone, “Desperate times call for desperate measures!” They rolled their eyes at the impression, chuckling.

“You,” Phoenix frowned, “You're obviously not Loki Shun. Then who are you?”

“Oh, the body is Shun's, don't get it twisted. But me? I'm whoever I feel like being these days,” the spirit grinned.

“You killed Shun too?”

The spirit lost form briefly, changing into the usual ball of flame, flaring bright with apparent rage, “That traitor got what was coming to him, just like the girl. But yes. We did. I was convincing wasn't I? You know I always said I could have gone into theater if the spirit medium training hadn't panned out.”

The next instant the ball of flame had reformed into another face. Suddenly the form of Miles Edgeworth was in front of him, examining their clothes. “Much better. Outfit's a bit much. Though I do feel more confident.” The spirit turned to Phoenix, smirking in a way that was very much Not Edgeworth, “Want to have a rousing discussion about Truth?”

“Cut that out!” Phoenix snapped.

With a dark chuckle, the spirit once more changed back into the form of Loki.

Nona appeared once again as a blue flame at her sister's side. “Are you done gloating Morta or can we go now?” she said impatiently.

The spirit, Morta, combed Shun's hair back into its' usual neat form, “I suppose so.”

She started to walk away, before noticing the jumbled pile of red glowing magatamas on the ground near Maya's feet. The box Maya had been reaching for had apparently come crashing down along with her, spilling a handful of the magatamas of parting. Morta bent to scoop them all into the box and then hoisted the box under her arm.

“I'll be taking these. And I trust I will not see hide nor hair from either of you. Consider disturbing me and my sisters again, and you will be considering a fate worse than death.”

“...”

With a final glare down the end of her nose at them, Morta turned on her heel and left Phoenix and Maya. Nona let the Shichishito clatter to the ground unceremoniously before flitting through the door herself, the lights flicking off as the ghost left. Even with the chaos outside, the lab seemed startlingly quiet and still.

Tension that Phoenix didn't even realize he had been holding was suddenly released. Rather than feeling relief however he felt like he suddenly weighed a ton, so heavy was the feeling of grief and failure as he turned back to Maya's prone form and meek flickering spirit.

“Maya?” he called out softly, approaching the ball of flame in the ghost world cautiously, “Can you hear me?”

The flames gave a little sputter.

“It's okay, I'm here.” Emboldened, Phoenix sidled up closer. He could almost cup the little ball of flames in his hands. “I'm here...I'm so sorry...I shouldn't have let this happen...”

Suddenly the spirit seemed to glow brighter, the flames flickered faster.

“Maya?”

“H-holy Mother?”

Phoenix balked at the spirit, “Uh, what? No, I mean, no. It's me, remember? It's Nick.”

“Nick?...” The spirit seemed to pause, as if struggling to place the name. Phoenix was reminded of his temporary disorientation and memory loss after his own death.

_(I wonder how long it'll take her to-)_

“NICK!”

There was an almost audible 'pop', and suddenly the ball of spirit flames was replaced by the much more familiar form of Maya shouting at him animatedly, “What are we standing around for we have to get those magatamas and-!”

She took in the view of the outside world, her eyes finally landed on her own limp body draped on top of the boxes.

“Oh...” she blinked, “ _Oh_...”

“Yeeeah...”

“...”

“...”

“...Well this makes things difficult doesn't it?”

Phoenix sighed, rolling his eyes, “I'm just glad you're okay.” He frowned, “You...you are okay aren't you? It didn't...hurt?”

Maya tilted her head, scratching the back of her head as she mulled it over, “Nah, I guess not. I don't really remember much at the moment, other than I was climbing those shelves. I'm good.”

“Good,” Phoenix said, relieved.

“Hey, check this out!” Maya suddenly zipped from the core in her body to a nearby core in an artifact, “Nick, look! I'm a rock!” Within instants she was gleefully flying in circles around Phoenix, moving from core to core, artifact to artifact.

“Wheeee! Hmmm, oh! I wonder if I can...” Maya suddenly paused, suddenly looking very intense and strained as she concentrated on...something?

“Uh, Maya? What are you doing?”

“Arrg, I can't move it! I can't move stuff around like you can!”

“Really?”

Curious, Phoenix reached up to a core next to Maya. Giving a small push, he made a small statue wobble easily.

_(Huh...)_

“No fair!” Maya pouted, “And you look like you can reach farther than me too! What kind of discrimination is this? I'm the spirit medium, if anyone should be getting super amazing spirit powers around here, it should be me!”

“Hey don't yell, it's not like I decided these things!”

Maya paid him little mind, tapping her cheek thoughtfully, “Hmm, you think if I die again, I can get different powers?”

“Maya, for the sake of my sanity, lets _not_ test that theory out, okay?” Phoenix said weakly.

“Hey, _psst_ , you folks down there...”

Phoenix and Maya stiffened at the sound of the third voice in the seemingly empty lab.

“Uh, hello?” Maya called out, looking around in confusion.

“Up here, Miss Fey!”

The two turned to look up from where the voice came from, up on the shelves. There they were confronted with a familiar form. Phoenix caught a glimpse of a spirit and then the shape of Loki Shun popped in front of them in the ghost world, grinning pleasantly as usual.

“You!” Maya gasped.

“Haven't you already done enough damage?” Phoenix sneered, “I thought you said you were leaving you cold blooded-”

“Hey hey _hey_!” Shun cowered despite the lack of actual physical threat as Phoenix and Maya started to advance, “H-hold it! It's me, your lovable trusted friend here!”

“W-what?” Phoenix started.

“That accursed hitchhiking ghost was the one you met just earlier. They snuffed me and then stole my own meat suit and left me here, same as you. But I'm the real deal!” Shun spread his arms emphatically.

“ _You're_ the real Loki Shun?” Phoenix said slowly.

“Of course! What, you weren't really fooled by that impostor, were you? I am of course, as they say, one of a kind.”

Phoenix groaned.

_(Yep, just as annoying in death as in life. It's definitely Loki Shun.)_

“I heard that you know,” Shun muttered.

_(Good.)_

“How is this even possible?” Maya asked, looking thoughtful as she stared down at the shape of her hands, as if waiting for them to disappear into blue flames, “I've never heard about actual ghosts lingering after death on their own. Much less moving things around or possessing people like this!”

“We may have a couple theories about that actually, Miss Fey,” Shun gave Maya a charming smile and a knowing wink.

“We?” Maya asked, incredulous, ignoring the gesture.

“Oh, of course. You both should follow me.”

Leaving the ghost world, Maya and Phoenix climbed their way through the rows of shelves to where Shun's spirit rested. Shun was waiting for them as a crumpled bow tie. If Phoenix had to guess, he had been gracelessly discarded after death, simply tossed away into a box and shoved towards the back of a random shelf.

Shun did not seem capable of movement like Phoenix and Maya, apparently quite trapped in his bow tie. Phoenix _almost_ felt sorry for him, but after their run in with the ghost he still felt a bit sore towards him.

“We have visitors ladies!” Shun called to the air.

They looked around, confused, as another spirit suddenly descended down the books on the shelf, materializing in the ghost world in front of them.

“Mystic Maya...”

“Aoi!” Maya's eyes bulged at the sight of her student. Aoi gave a bow, her usual curtain of dark hair fell over her face, but when she rose again Phoenix could tell she had a slight smile.

“Wait!” Maya stilled with a sudden realization, “Your body that we found... that ghost has been possessing you this whole time too?”

“Is that why she was talking like that when I met her?” Phoenix asked.

“Talk like...what?” Aoi croaked.

_(Ack!)_

“N-nevermind...” Phoenix scratched the back of his head, awkward, “Sorry for your, uh...loss.”

Aoi nodded, “To yours, as well.... At least the ghosts...had the...courtesy to...do me in in my sleep....They've gotten...crueler....”

“Have you been here since then?” Maya asked.

“Yes...ever since I came back...inside the books...Morta has kept me here...watching....Watching me...and Loki...and also...her...”

“Her?”

Aoi pointed to the pedestal which displayed Kurain's Sacred Urn.

Phoenix had seen the urn many many times over the years. (Much more than he really should have, if he was honest.) He had heard the rumors and legends about it. However, not one of those times did he ever see an actual spirit residing in it, glowing with the brightest blue flames.

Maya looked just as shocked as he was when the spirit from the urn met them in the ghost world.

They were clearly a spirit medium, dressed in old traditional clothes, complete with a white hood which obscured most of their face. An impressive necklace of beads and a magatama rested around their neck. The spirit straightened their kimono carefully, running their weathered hands down the nonexistent wrinkles and refolding the panels, right over left.

Phoenix wasn't sure what to make of it, but Maya was infinitely more surprised, immediately falling into a deep bow, suddenly more sober and reverent than he had ever seen.

“Mystic Ami...”

“Ami?” Phoenix balked down at Maya, then to the spirit, “Wait, as in Ami _Fey_? Like, _that_ urn's Ami...?”

“The very same, my child.”

So used to seeing Ami as a lifeless statue, Phoenix startled at actually hearing her speak back. He ducked down into a bow out of panic, earning him a small chuckle from Maya's ancestor.

“Please, rise. Dare I say, we are already acquainted with one another.”

“Uh, yeah, I guess we are,” Phoenix's mind was suddenly filled with images of certain cracked urns and pink paint.

“That applies to you as well, Mystic Maya,” Ami said benignly, looking down at the still bent head of her descendant.

Maya stiffened a little before scrambling to her feet. She looked sheepish and more than a little lost for words, now looking up at Ami properly.

“Sorry, I, uh...don't know what to say...” Maya said shyly, “I mean, I know the family legend says your spirit is supposed to be in the urn, I just didn't really think...I mean you're IN the urn!”

Ami laughed, “I am indeed. I apologize for not being more exciting. I was fairly dormant over the years since my spirit was bonded to the sacred urn. Little more than a nap, it was to me. But I found myself strengthened and awakened properly for the first time in a long time just several weeks ago.”

“Awakened? But why now?”

Ami simply pointed to one of the upper shelves of artifacts for answer. Maya followed the direction, Phoenix moved after her, core by core. But before they even got to the artifact, Phoenix knew just what Ami had been talking about. He had felt a certain energy around Kurain, ever since they got there. He had figured it had something to do with his new ghostliness, but now he could tell that the same energy he had felt irradiating throughout Kurain was coming from this artifact.

They found it still covered in its shipping wrappings from where the artifact was sent to Kurain. The strange cloud of blue energy billowed from within. Phoenix couldn't tell much about it or what exactly made it so special, except that the artifact looked to be a large torso sized rock, and the shipping address on the canvas wrappings around it had simply labeled it 'TEMSIK'.

“You can both feel it too, can't you?”

Maya nodded, looking back to Ami, “It's strange...I never noticed until I was able to see it like this...”

“What is it exactly?” Phoenix frowned.

“It is an intense paranormal energy as I've ever encountered,” Ami said gravely, the shadows seemed to deepen under her hood. Her mouth was only barely visible. “And I believe being near the village's own spiritual energies may have only made it even more potent. From what I have watched here, this rock has the power to help preserve and invigorate spirits within its influence, allowing them to linger after death. This is what you all are experiencing now. Unfortunately, it also seems that this revived those other spirits as well.”

“You think those spirits came from the village?”

Ami nodded, “Those three were nuns and sisters of Kurain, living and dying here. Their spirits were preserved as mine was, I suspect, with others in the Kurain Boulder in the center of the village as a symbol of their long service to Kurain and the Fey clan.”

Phoenix ruffled at that, he couldn't help but shout, “Hey, if they were so dedicated to Kurain, why would they kill its leader? Maya didn't do anything to them!”

“Oh...” Maya had gone quiet, almost shrinking into herself. “I have an idea why...” she said quietly.

Ami gave a small sigh, placing a comforting hand on Maya's shoulder. She looked just as pained as Maya did, but continued somberly anyway, “You see, when the spirits were suddenly awakened, they were... not so accepting of the state of the village. They did not like the changes that had been brought upon them. So they sought to do something about it. They found me here after I myself had awakened and attempted to gain my support. When I refused to help them, they took it upon themselves to be rid of Maya.”

“Wait,” Maya's head snapped up, “You mean...you supported me? After everything I did to the village?”

“Of course.”

Maya opened and closed her mouth a couple times, but the frankness and promptness of Ami's response apparently rendered her speechless.

“I worry I only made them more angry,” Ami continued on,“When Mr. Shun just so happened to come to the village to offer to buy it from you Maya, they took their chance. Aoi became their first casualty, allowing the spirits to communicate with Shun. Together they plotted to exploit the body transformation feature of my Kurain Channeling technique, and plant masks of clients on the village. Later they would reveal these masks to the press and make it appear like Kurain Channeling had been a hoax.”

“The scandal was to ruin Kurain Village and push Maya to sell it to Loki Shun, thereby also ridding the spirits of Maya. They would live the rest of their deaths in a vacant untouched village.”

“If Shun was working with the ghosts, how did he wind up dead?” Phoenix asked.

Shun shrugged, “Ah, who's to say how the minds of those twisted murdering wenches work? You know what they say-”

“They found...plans...in Shun's RV...to build a spa retreat...on Kurain's lands...” Aoi said dryly.

“You WHAT?” Maya screeched.

Shun winced, unconsciously straightening his mint colored bow tie, shying away from the collection of glares suddenly thrown his way, “Well, now, when you say it like that it sounds-”

“You _used_ me-” Maya cried out, scandalized, “For _land development_! I can't believe I ever let you near my home!”

“I'm guessing those ghosts weren't happy when they found out you were going to go against their plan and disturb their village by building on it right after you helped them,” Phoenix said grimly.

“Double...back-stab...” Aoi nodded thoughtfully.

Shun almost looked on the verge of tears, “You folks are mean... I'm just a guy trying to make a living...”

_(So much for living...)_

“I regret not being able to tell you this until after such tragedy has already fallen over the village,” Ami bowed her head, “I find that I am not as mobile as you two appear to be.”

“None...of us...are...” Aoi agreed.

Outside there was a distant muffled sound of shouts as the villagers combated the fire which still seemed to burn. Maya watched the orange glow from just down the street grow through the giant windows of the lab. “So that's it then?” Maya asked quietly, “We're stuck here?”

“I'm sure Edgeworth and Ema will come looking for us soon, if they aren't already,” Phoenix reasoned.

Ami perked at that, Phoenix could almost see the glint of her widened eyes under her hood, “You have friends here, right now? You mean you are able to communicate with them?”

“More or less. Why?”

Shadows darkened under Ami's hood again, “...Makes me wonder...”

Phoenix and Maya watched Ami intently for her to continue. Ami paced lightly in the ghost world, robes swaying around her feet as she seemed to mutter to herself. Finally though she stopped and faced them, her visible mouth grim.

“Aoi is limited to moving among books, and Loki so far has been contained to the very bow tie used to strangle himself with. I myself am bound to my urn and the cores of the bodies of the dead,” Ami told them. “However while I can not move about quite as you two can, I do have a skill that it appears you do not which may just be able to work in our favor.”

“What do you mean?” Maya asked.

“I discovered it when the ghosts had left Aoi's body unattended just close enough to my urn,” Ami spoke slowly. She seemed to be so deep in thought, her form actually changed. With a shimmer she no longer stood as a person but as her own urn. Her disembodied voice came from within it as she told her story. “I had not been able to move from my spot since I died, but suddenly I saw a core from within her body. I reached out to grab it. That was when it happened, and I realized;”

“I have the ability to go back in time to observe people's deaths.”

“ _What?_ ”

“Before I left Khura'in in life, I had mastered the Divination Seance as all members of the royal family were expected to. I believe I have maintained this gift into my afterlife. I can see about four minutes before death to be specific,” Ami said matter of factly, her urn form shifted back into her personage.

“That's amazing!” Maya said, awed.

Ami gave a shrug, brushing it off, “It is a limited skill. As I told you, I can not move about as you both can. I am confined to moving from the body of the deceased to my beloved urn here. Otherwise I can only watch as events unfold.”

Ami gave a sigh, “Phenomenal cosmic power... Itty bitty living space.”

“That sounds kinda awful...” Phoenix winced.

A gentle smile shown through the shadow on Ami's face, “Oh, not quite so, my child. Luckily I have actually been quite content to watch and meditate in my days. But I do wish I could have had a more active roll in stopping these tragedies before now.”

Maya had bowed her head, but lifted her eyes when she felt Ami turn toward her. She stilled under the encouraging grin from her ancestor. “I for one am ready to put an end to this. Aren't you?”

“How though? They've taken everything...” Maya frowned, eyes wandering to the glow through the window outside, “And they're so strong...”

“We must work together...” Ami said firmly. “Those three have left plenty of victims, if you can help me get close to one, then I should be able to take you to their final moments. From there you can use your own skills to undo all these tragic events from ever happening in the first place.”

“It just might work...” Phoenix said thoughtfully. “But which victim should we be using here?”

“They must be deceased less than 24 hours, lest the connection to the soul becomes too weak to work. I found I can not even connect back to Aoi's corpse,” Ami explained.

“Guess that means we won't be able to go back and save you, Aoi,” Maya said sadly.

The acolyte merely shrugged, long hair swaying in her face, “It's...okay...more time...to read...”

“Hey what about me then!” Shun butted in, “Those backstabbers did me in just a few hours ago!”

“Backstabbers?”

_(Pot, meet kettle...)_

“I can _still_ hear stuff like that here you know...” Shun pouted, but a glare from Maya silenced him.

“Maya didn't die long enough ago, so I guess that leaves me,” Phoenix said, “I died last night a little before 8 I think.”

“It's close to 7 already, we will have to hurry,” Ami said.

A prickling sense of unease that he soon realized wasn't his own drew Phoenix to Maya. The spirit medium had grown quiet and withdrawn as they had been talking.

“Maya? You okay?”

She shrank away, not meeting their eyes. Her bangs fell in her eyes, shadowing her face. In that moment, Phoenix vaguely realized how much she looked like her ancestor.

“Sorry...It's not that I don't want to save you, Nick...I just...”

“Maya?”

She sighed, “If we save you and stop everything that's happened after then...you'll also save me...”

“Well, yeah. That's the general idea,” Phoenix said dryly.

“I don't know if that's a good idea...”

Phoenix stilled at Maya's soft admission. Her jumbled thoughts of doubt and guilt and failure came in a uncomfortable wave of white noise through the ghost world.

_(I knew she was down on herself...I just didn't realize it was this bad...)_

“You...you can't really think-”

“So many terrible things have happened on my journey to become Master and lead Kurain...” Maya's hands clenched into fists at her sides as she tearfully spat the words out. Her form shimmered, threatening to dissolve into a spirit flame state. “And now these spirits, real masters, have seen me and think I'm ruining everything. How can I argue with that?”

Phoenix could only stare, stunned. Maya's form finally gave way, her spirit burned weakly in the liminal space of the ghost world. “Maybe I don't belong here...maybe...maybe...”

“Ah...”

To their surprise, Ami suddenly bowed deeply, robes rustling and ornaments jingling. “I see...I see...”

“W-what?” Maya stuttered.

“You remind me of my own younger days,” the old master said gently.

“I doubt you had to deal with murder as much,” Maya muttered.

“No,” Ami admitted, “But I left my home country and my family in order to build a village in my vision and use my spiritual skills the way I wished. Do you think I had much approval for this action?”

Maya's spirit flickered wordlessly as Ami gave a soft chuckle, holding a hand out for the ball of flame. The fire rested in her palm harmlessly as she smiled down at Maya. “You see, angering the elders is a Fey family tradition, my child.”

Maya gave a weak laugh. After a moment of consideration her form shimmered back into her usual self, with Ami's hand now resting on her shoulder. Ever so gently, Ami tugged Maya into an embrace. Somehow the lack of warmth or solidity in the ghost world made it no less comforting. Maya buried her shining face into her ancestor's robes while Ami simply stroked her back, looking almost serene.

“Traditions are wonderful,” Ami said, “They bind us to our roots, connect us to one another. But we must also be ready for change, and to challenge the old. Much like certain family urns, to be broken repeatedly by each new generation...over, and over, and over again...”

Maya's eyes shot open, she stiffened in Ami's grip with realization, “Ahh...”

She backed away, looking sheepish. However Ami was smiling under her hood. Phoenix caught the mischievous twinkling glint in her eye which he knew all to well from her decedents.

“You have done nothing wrong, Mystic Maya. Those spirits are a selfish bunch. They love so much, yet at the price of others' enjoyment of that very object of said love. They are static, rigid, and unmoving. The only place for them is the past.”

Maya looked wide eyed at Ami. Across the connections of the ghost world, her confusion was clear to Phoenix. But all at once it cleared to a warm kind of peace.

Maya's face split into a smile, “Thank you...thank you so much...”

Ami replied with a bow, which Maya returned.

Straightening up, Maya turned to Phoenix, gray eyes bright, “Alright, Nick. Let's go save everyone.”

_('Atta girl, Maya...)_

The roar of the fire outside suddenly pitched loudly as the door of the lab abruptly opened. A soot-smeared Ema and a coughing Edgeworth followed soon after, staggering into the darkened lab.

“Maya? You in here?” Ema called out, only to have a coughing fit into her sleeve.

Feeling along the wall, Edgeworth turned on the lights. The sight that greeted them stopped them in their tracks.

“ _Oh no_...”

They rushed to the side of Maya's fallen form in the middle of the destruction. Kneeling beside her, Ema immediately started fussing over her pulse, pressing her fingers against Maya's neck. Finding nothing but silence, she slumped back, hands falling into her lap.

“We're too late...”

Edgeworth said nothing, simply putting one comforting arm around the forensic detective, letting her fall against his side.

Phoenix wasted no time in reaching down to them, finding the core of Edgeworth's phone in his pocket. The prosecutor startled at feeling his phone vibrate, looking even more surprised when he saw who his new text came from.

**Wright: I'm here**

“Wright, is...is Ms. Fey with you?” Edgeworth asked uncertainly, squinting at his phone screen. A new message started writing itself immediately.

**Wright: Long story, but yes, she is**

“Mr. Edgeworth?” Ema looked confusedly at Edgeworth talking out loud to his phone. However he ignored her as a new message came through.

**Wright: Listen, we don't have much time to explain. But we think we have a way to maybe fix things. It is very important that you get me and maya to my body as soon as you can before 7pm. Can you do that?**

Edgeworth turned to Ema seriously, “Ms. Skye, do you know where the police are keeping Phoenix's body at this time?”

Ema's concern seemed to have been doubled as she grew paler, “Uh, he should still be in the morgue after the autopsy this morning...” she stammered, “Mr. Edgeworth what's going on?”

He waved her off, turning to his phone again, “I should be able to get there if I drive fast enough.”

**Wright: Thank you. And one more thing, it is important that you bring the sacred urn with us**

Phoenix almost expected to have to fight Edgeworth for such an unusual request but to his surprise he accepted the task readily, standing and tucking the urn under his arm.

“Mr. Edgeworth?” Ema asked again, quieter as the prosecutor turned towards the door.

Edgeworth looked down at her, pocketing his phone, “Take care of Ms. Fey here. Apparently I have business back at the station. Can you do this?”

Ema hesitated as if she wanted to protest, but ultimately nodded, trusting, “Yes, sir...”

She only watched as he left, accompanied unseen by three ghosts.

...

The fire was devastating, but truthfully it provided the perfect cover. No one seemed to notice a prosecutor with an antique urn nor a bright red sport car leave the village in the middle of the chaos.

The winding mountain roads seemed so dark and cool in contrast. Phoenix could still catch Maya watching the fading light behind them through the trees where the billowing plume of smoke started to circle above Kurain. He tried to offer her comfort, but even the hope that they could change things only helped her so much. Ami still seemed confident at any rate. She rested in the passenger seat with Maya, facing the road. Phoenix found she had a tendency of staying stock still when not speaking, a leftover from all her days as an urn.

_(I hope you're right...I hope this works...)_

Ami made no movement like she had heard him.

Meanwhile, Edgeworth seemed to have none of her confidence. He kept shooting furtive glances into the rear-view mirror, urging the car even faster.

“We're being followed,” he says into the air, as if reading Phoenix's mind.

The three ghosts immediately tried to look behind them. Without streetlights or houses, the windows outside showed almost pitch black. But as they kept watching, a shape started to take form on the road. It looked big, something not normally seen keeping pace with a sports car racing down back roads. But sure enough it was indeed following them. It matched their every turn. As Phoenix watched it slowly drew in closer. At first it had kept its distance but by the time they had reached city limits, it was less than a car length behind them, breathing down Edgeworth's bumper.

“...You don't think it could be...?” Maya started.

Phoenix didn't answer her, grimly watching. Finally though, the light of a passing gas station confirmed their suspicions: their pursuer was a bright yellow RV.

Edgeworth seemed to notice as well, squinting at his side mirror. “So that is how it'll be...”

Despite already going well above the speed limit, he threw the car into the next gear, hitting the road with renewed vigor. The engine growled with the effort. Phoenix was faintly glad he couldn't be car sick.

They squealed around a turn, the urn rolled about in the passenger seat. Still Edgeworth didn't slow. But then neither did the RV. Within a mile it had caught up to them again, bearing down like a gaudy giant on the sleek smaller car.

The car shuttered as the RV took its first hit. They were jolted forward as the RV rammed into the bumper. Edgeworth grunted as they started to fish tail, but regained control quickly. He tried to accelerate away again, but the RV stayed on their tail. Phoenix rattled inside Edgeworth's pocket as the RV took another swipe.

“Steady...We're almost there...” Edgeworth murmured. His knuckles were white as he turned hard onto the city streets.

The downtown buildings blurred past them as Edgeworth sped towards the Station. They briefly lost the RV, however it reappeared not five minutes later, squealing around a turn, momentum carrying it into a set of trash cans before it started doggedly chasing them again.

In brighter lights, Phoenix could see Not Loki/ Morta behind the wheel. Her eyes flashed, fixated only on them, even as she swerved around traffic. Phoenix gulped.

_(Hurry Miles...)_

The flagpoles and neon sign for the police station shown like a beacon at the end of the street. The two vehicles were careening towards it, dancing on the line of being out of control. Edgeworth smirked slightly anyway, as if confident they had made it.

Phoenix was almost inclined to agree with him when it happened.

The RV clipped the very leftmost edge of the bumper. The sports car spun out to the right towards the sidewalk.

He could've sworn the lamppost materialized in front of them.

There was a sickening crunch of metal and the whole world seemed to come to a sudden ringing halt.

Even without a body to feel pain, Phoenix knew it was a nasty crash. Surveying the scattered remains of the inside of the car, he braced himself and scrambled to look up at Edgeworth.

“N-nick, is he-?” Maya breathed, looking up from where the sacred urn had fallen to the floor.

Edgeworth was slumped against the steering wheel and the deflated airbag, very very still, but as Phoenix watched with bated breath, there was no spirit flame to be seen.

“No, just passed out,” Phoenix sighed in relief. Maya mirrored him.

Tenderly, Phoenix reached out in Edgeworth’s cell phone and pressed the call button. At feeling the vibration, Edgeworth began to stir and slowly pried himself off the steering wheel. The man gave a long-suffering groan as he pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead where it had collided with the steering wheel. Ignoring the tell-tale wetness of blood on his hand, Edgeworth stiffly reached into his pocket for the phone.

He squinted at the screen as Phoenix made out a text: **Are you alright?!?**

“If I felt I was in immediate mortal peril, then I would not be taking the time to answer my phone, Wright.” Edgeworth frowned as he picked the broken halves of his glasses off of his bruised nose.

Phoenix rolled his eyes.

_(Yeah, Edgeworth is fine.)_

As he said it, there was a squeal of tires as the yellow RV spun around, rounding on them again through now much slower.

“It seems I spoke too soon,” Edgeworth muttered, looking through the spider-web cracks on his windshield.

With a grunt of pain, Edgeworth wiggled his hand down to undo his seat-belt. However, moving the steering column out of his lap proved to be much more of a challenge. As he attempted to wedge himself out, Shun’s camper roared closer and closer.

Eventually Edgeworth sat back with a huff looking back at the phone, “It’s no use, Wright. My legs are pinned. You’ll have to continue on your own.”

**Wright: Maybe I can help move it?**

“There’s no time,” Edgeworth shook his head, a thick line of blood had started streaming from his hairline at the temple, “We both know you’re not strong enough to do anything like that. Take Maya and go. The station is just right there.”

**Wright: What about you? I can’t leave you injured!**

There was the sound of a car door opening behind them. Edgeworth shook his head.

“Just go...”

Edgeworth tossed the phone into the passenger seat, and let his head roll back against the headrest, accepting his fate. Phoenix frowned, absolutely not ready to give up. More importantly, even if he wanted to leave now, he would also have to leave Ami behind and that wasn't an option.

“This certainly complicates things, doesn't it?” Ami mused thoughtfully from the floor.

Maya sighed, “What do we do now, Nick?”

Phoenix looked around. Taking a closer look at the car, it looked like a crushed candy apple red soda can with the front end twisted around the lamppost. Gray smoke streamed out from the warped hood. But Edgeworth was right, he could see a couple cores to manipulate small pieces of the car, but nothing substantial enough to free Edgeworth. He couldn't even wretch the crumpled door open for him to squeeze out.

The best he could do was flip on the turn signal, but that didn't seem particularly helpful.

“I've tried everything,” Phoenix said, defeated, “I think we're stuck here.”

Outside, Morta had stopped to call someone on a cell phone. She still had her eyes on the wreckage and a wicked smirk on her face. It wouldn't be long before she came to collect them, and who knew what she would do to Edgeworth. Looking down at Maya though, Phoenix had a pretty good idea.

Maya pouted, and with her jaw set in a determined line she started to move about the cores in the car on her own.

“It's no use, Maya,” Phoenix said sadly.

“Just wait...” Maya huffed, she glared at the twisted heap, as if willing it to do something. She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her teeth, as if mentally rolling a bolder up a hill. “ _I...know...I...can..._ ”

There was a pop and a flash, suddenly instead of the normal red tint that Phoenix saw over the world when he had to move about, the scene had turned a shade of royal purple.

“What the-”

“Ha!” Maya beamed, “I don't know what I did, but I did it!”

Things looked very different now around them. New cores seemed available. While Phoenix was fairly restricted by size, Maya appeared to be able to latch on to larger things, like the lamppost, and even the whole car itself.

Before Phoenix could even properly process what he was looking at, Maya had already wildly plowed ahead and reached for the core of the accordioned sports car. She gave a _push_.

At this point, Phoenix had expected the car to maybe move about somehow, as he had experienced the first time he tried using cores. But that is very much not what happened when Maya tried to use her ability.

There was a screeching sound like nails on a chalk board, and after a confusing moment trying to figure out what was happening, they all realized: the car had shrunk.

The already low roof had come down several inches, forcing a confused Edgeworth to bend his neck down and contort in his limbs as the car squeezed in around him.

“ _WRIGHT!_ ” Edgeworth bellowed, cheek resting on his bent shoulder.

“Oops...” Maya blinked.

Phoenix rubbed his neck sheepishly. “Uh, it's really great you figured that out, Maya. But, ah, any chance you could do...whatever that was in reverse?”

Maya tapped her cheek, “In reverse, huh?”

Outside of the car, Morta had stopped dead (no pun intended) when the car suddenly changed size, at first confused but then suspicious. Despite knowing there were three ghosts inside the car, she gave them all very little credit. They might have been able to exploit weaknesses in her sister's forms, but she was nigh incorruptible. She had no intention of letting them escape, as she had just reassured her sisters.

Still, she was not a complete fool.

She started to creep towards the red car cautiously.

Another terrible screech of expanding metal sent her tumbling flat on her back in surprise.

Edgeworth watched in awe as the car started to _grow_ around him. There was no other world to describe it. While still quite crumpled, the car increased in size. The dashboard which normally came up to his chest was now up at his neck. The normally tight seat under him expanded to be able to almost fit two people in it. But most importantly, it meant there was more room which also meant that the steering column no longer pinned him into his seat. Blinking in amazement, he fumbled with the door. With the slightest touch it simply fell off, clattering to the ground in a pile of glass.

He stepped out, staggering and clutching his side. He slowly looked around, dazed. As his gaze focused, the police station shone brightly at the end of the block. Turning to look behind him, Morta struggled to scramble to her feet. It was enough to snap him to his senses.

With a glare, Edgeworth reached inside the car, scooping up the urn and his phone. With one movement, he stashed his phone inside the urn, then turned to run.

…

“We should've heard back from them by now...”

“Patience.” Blackquill continued stroking Taka's soft belly, not looking up, “Pacing will not make the time pass any faster, Cykes-dono.”

Athena groaned, simply turning back to make the same circuit around the detective's desks she had been doing for the last hour. “I know...” she pouted, “But it makes me feel better...”

“You know, I've heard some officers like to dance to help them deal with stress,” Meekins chimed in, stroking his large chin thoughtfully. The two attorneys paused, eyebrows raised, as he started doing a strange kind of shimmy with his hands and feet, “I think they said it started like this and then you just-aHH!”

After properly terrorizing the officer's face, Taka fluttered obediently back to Blackquill's waiting arm. Again Blackquill did not look up from where he casually leaned against the wall, resuming stroking Taka's belly. Only the bite in his voice gave way that anything had happened. “Make another asinine statement and next time Taka will be sure to leave more than just a flesh wound.”

Meekins sniffed, hair and uniform rumpled and torn from both old and new talon marks. After a day of working under Blackquill he looked fully pathetic, whimpering to himself about “Police brutality...” and “Meekins abuse...”

They were all distracted as Gumshoe joined the group, holding a coffee despite the late hour and looking just as worried as they were.

Athena all but pounced on him, “Any news?”

“Nah. I was actually about to ask you the same thing there, pal,” Gumshoe said, voice rough as he slumped down to sit on the edge of an empty desk.

Athena groaned and started pacing even faster. Widget flashed yellow around her neck.

“Aw, don't look so down,” Gumshoe said, taking a loud sip of coffee, “Mr. Edgeworth is a real professional. Why, I bet ya him and Ema are gonna come waltzing through that door any minute now with our guy, and you'll see-”

“Gangway, Detective!”

They all nearly jumped out of their collective skins as the door slammed open and a very out of breath and injured Edgeworth sprinted past. Meekins caught the brunt of the impact, bouncing off Edgeworth to collide with a filing cabinet, nearly toppling it.

“Mr. Edgeworth, sir!” Gumshoe called after him. They all watched in confusion as Edgeworth ran off without another word down the hallway towards the stairs.

Meekins weakly picked himself up off the floor, poking his head around the corner to stare wearily. “W-what was that for?”

“ _Out of the way._ ”

Meekins had the wind knocked out of him as Morta collided bodily with him, shoving him aside to weasel through the group and down the hallway after Edgeworth.

“Hey!” Gumshoe called. Dropping his coffee where he stood he started to run after them as well. “You all stay here, I'll be right back!” he shouted gruffly over his shoulder as he clumsily vaulted over Meekins.“Hey, _get back here!_ ”

Even without a sense of smell, Phoenix could still _feel_ the scent of sterile death in the air as they descended down the stairs. He hated going to the morgue. It always gave him the creeps, and he mostly avoided going to the autopsies for his cases because of it. But of course Edgeworth, always prepared and thorough, _did_ frequently go down, and so he showed no hesitation in his hurried steps. He limped as fast as he could down the hallway, the urn held tight with one hand, and the other holding the stitch in his side. There was commotion behind them but he did not stop to look, eyes determinedly forward on the end of the hall.

Phoenix was all too happy to be his eyes though. As Morta started gaining ground, a couple quick zips through the cores let him close a door in her face. He could hear her let out a feral sounding growl, clawing to get past to them, showing very little care for Shun's borrowed body. Before she could do anything else, a large trench coat-covered body tackled her. They hit the floor in a heap. In the midst of her screaming there was the solid click of a pair of handcuffs.

“Hold it right there, pal...”

Phoenix smirked to himself.

“Well done,” Ami nodded in approval.

They had little time to celebrate. As Edgeworth rounded the end of the corridor, they were met with double doors to the large morgue.

In the quiet and sterile room, it became obvious how tattered Edgeworth had become, and how loud he panted. Still, he staggered forward, past the stainless steel examination tables and towards the refrigerated cabinets in the back.

There Edgeworth stalled, running a hand down his face, “Curses...which one would it be?”

_(Oh!)_

Looking around, Phoenix suddenly saw it. In the midst of the sparse cores around the room, in one of the cabinets, he could see one that felt so much different from the rest. Most peculiar though, he could see the outline of his body there lying prone, the same electric blue color as the cores against the red background.

Edgeworth's phone rattled against the urn as he sent the text.

**Wright: Last column, bottom row**

Phone still in hand, Edgeworth immediately trotted over towards it.

Although Phoenix had technically already seen his own body at the crime scene, something about seeing it in a morgue felt more real and visceral. He couldn't help but clench.

Sweat beaded down Edgeworth's brow.

He reached for the handle.

His fingertips barely applied pressure.

“ _Hold it._ ”

Edgeworth froze, breath suspended in his throat, eyes widening. He made the tiniest of movements to turn his head to look over his shoulder to confirm his fear.

It was indeed Gumshoe's form that stood, gun drawn, in the doorway, and Gumshoe's voice that had spoken, but the dark intelligent look in the eyes was most emphatically _not_ Gumshoe.

Not Gumshoe stalked forward, gun and eyes pointed at Edgeworth's back. There was a tense moment when neither said anything, simply standing. Then Not Gumshoe raised his free hand out.

“Drop them here. _Now_.”

Edgeworth said nothing. He stared down at the hand out of the corner of his eye. Only Phoenix really saw the small tremors that ran through his frame.

“We were so close...” Maya said quietly.

Edgeworth's eyes went from the hand to his phone, then to the cabinet door just in front of him. He narrowed his eyes.

_(Miles...?)_

Edgeworth's face broke out into a smirk, suddenly at ease, “But of course.”

It happened in an instant.

In the same movement he opened the door, Edgeworth threw his cell phone with Phoenix back inside the urn. The next moment, the three ghosts found themselves underhandedly chucked into the darkness of the cabinet.

There was the faintest sensation of hitting something soft, then the thunder of a gunshot, but neither Phoenix nor Maya had any time to process any of it before they found themselves bizarrely and suddenly whisked away...away...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...so this took a lot longer to write than i thought, sorry about that, but hopefully making this a really beefy chapter kinda made up for it.  
>  it also just so happens to be my birthday so yay  
> since the last chapter is basically just an epilogue, i'm planning on uploading the last two chapters close together (like within a week of each other probs), so look forward to the finale as a big update!  
> and as always thank you to randomstarmuffin who has continued to beta read despite the big breaks, i wish you all of the pizza and cake  
> hope to be back soon! thank you everyone!  
> p.s. if no one gets the thor reference i made and appreciates the insane amalgamation of circumstances that had to come together to make it possible i might spit


	8. Trick Time!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Haha, I died again!” -Lynne, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
> 
> mood music for nerds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3C-FrmHn44  
> also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0muwEn_FQYE

**4 Minutes Before Death**

  


Phoenix felt like he had been pulled through a tube, sucked away into darkness only to suddenly be unceremoniously spat out again like an extremely rude water slide. Judging by the way Maya stared around blearily beside him, she felt just as disorientated as he did.

“W-where are we?” Phoenix said roughly.

The bright florescent lights of the morgue had been suddenly replaced by very dim lantern lights that he only vaguely recognized.

“Kurain Village,” Ami answered. Phoenix startled slightly, he hadn't even realized she had been there. The old master looked just as collected as ever, completely unbothered by the sudden scene change. Although she did seem quite serious, even grim.

“A better question however may be ' _when_ are we'. The answer to that question is four minutes before your death, Mr. Wright. Just as I promised I could.”

_(Four minutes before-!)_

Any doubt to Ami's claim was erased as Phoenix and Maya saw _themselves_ walk out of the dining hall and down the dark corridor, a perfect recreation of last night. Meanwhile they could now see Marigold, or rather Morta, slink into a corridor just ahead, the same place they had found her last night. The gun flashed briefly in her hands as she checked it before stowing it into her sash. She waited in the darkness patiently as Past-Phoenix and Past-Maya made their way closer, unsuspecting of the tragedy waiting for them.

Ami gave a solemn bow, “ I can let you interact with these moments as many times as you wish, but that is all. Your fate is in your hands now.”

“Thank you,” Maya said sincerely, “We won't let it go to waste.”

Even with knowing exactly what would happen, it didn't make it any less of a shock to see it all again. Phoenix felt strangely numb watching himself and Maya walk after Marigold towards the channeling chamber. Thankfully his death seemed to go by quicker this time. Before, time had felt thick as jello as adrenaline set in in his final moments and he pulled Maya out of harm's way. Now on the outside, he could appreciate how instantaneous it all was. One moment, he had one arm around Maya, the next moment there was a flash of white as the two shots rang out. When the scene came back into view, he lay face down on the ground, gone from this world.

Everything turned gray, desaturated.

“O-okay,” Maya gulped. She was trying not to show it, but Phoenix could tell Maya was shaking. She clung close to his side. “S-simple. We just have to stop Morta from firing the gun. Piece of cake. Right?”

“Uh, sure. Right.”

Phoenix's uncertainty turned out to be well founded as the two quickly found that saving themselves was...more difficult than they thought.

So far the montage of failure included: Phoenix acting too soon and spooking Morta to shoot him in the hallway, Phoenix acting too late and letting time run out completely, possessing a candle and setting Maya on fire, possessing a candle and setting _himself_ on fire...

Maya finally got fed up and made her own attempt with her own trick. But it produced similar results.

Phoenix stared down at his slumped form, face down on the ground and rear end in the air. “...Maya...you can't just make the bullet smaller. A smaller bullet is still...deadly...”

“Well, yeah, I can see that now, _Nick_ ,” Maya pouted.

Phoenix sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

_(This is just getting humiliating...)_

Maya gave out an identical sigh. The horror had long wore off, and now they felt just frustrated.

She slumped next to him, “Uuuggggh. It's like a puzzle. And it's making my brain hurt. Why couldn't you have just worn a bullet-proof vest?”

“Tell you what, save me and I'll start wearing one all the time. Or at least carry a shield or something,” Phoenix said dryly.

Maya suddenly perked up at that, deep in thought, “Bullet-proof...shield...”

She stared hard at Past-Phoenix as he came through the door to the channeling chamber once again, and once again Morta fired the fatal shot. Time paused as they moved about the cores, bullet suspended in midair. Phoenix braced himself for failure once again. However Maya looked startlingly vivacious, determined.

“The shape of you badge gives me an idea,” she voiced.

“My badge? What are you-?” Phoenix watched as Maya zipped across the room to the core inside his attorney's badge on his lapel. Before he could say anything else, she had transformed the small bit of metal into the size of a salad plate.

“What are you doing?!”

“Giving us a bigger target!” Maya squinted as if checking the bullets trajectory towards Phoenix's chest. “Great. Now, Nick, I need you to get over here where I am.”

“O-okay...”

Phoenix climbed up to the core in his badge, still unsure as he stared down the body of the bullet aimed straight at them.

“This is it! Stay right there, Nick!”

“Maya!”

Time suddenly resumed around them. In less than as instant the bullet collided into the enlarged attorney's badge, bouncing off with a harsh sounding ' _tink_ '. Phoenix paused time in a panic, retreating to the ghost world. He looked at the scene in amazement, staring at his past self, now in the middle of arching backwards from the force of the hit, but apparently alive.

“W-what...why...how...? That bullet should have gone through my badge like tin foil!”

“Heh, just as I thought...”

“Huh?” Phoenix blinked numbly at a smirking Maya.

“Nick, that was all you! You're bullet-proof!”

“I-I am?”

“I noticed it earlier when I was looking at the scene with Athena,” Maya explained, “Morta had shot at me through a paper folding screen that you had possessed. However instead of going right through, the bullet looked like it had just bounced off without leaving a scratch. Get it? You're indestructible! A genuine _defense_ attorney now!”

“Whoa...” Phoenix looked again, wide-eyed. Indeed, his badge didn't even have a scratch on it.

_( Figures, it's just my luck I'm only bullet-proof **after** death...We managed to keep me alive for now, that's the important thing. Though that was a little too close for comfort... Maybe we can still get through this.)_

“Good work, Maya,” Phoenix said, still a little shaky. The spirit medium flashed him a small sparkling grin. Even Ami beamed a little under her hood as she watched them silently.

“We're not out of the woods yet though, Morta still has the gun,” he reminded them.

That fact only became more dire as time resumed once again. Past-Phoenix completed his arch, falling backwards onto Past-Maya, knocking them both into a pile on the ground, landing flat with a solid ' _oof_ '.

Morta paused, confused as to why the point blank shot didn't kill. However, she recovered quickly and leveled the gun at them again.

“Nick!”

“Ack!”

Phoenix scrambled to the ghost world again to leap from core to core. As Maya restored his badge to its rightful size, the same candle from last night caught his eye once again. He threw it across the room once more with all his might.

Just like the night before, Marigold's flowing acolyte clothes lit easily. She cried out, furiously patting her flaming robes down as she tried to remove them. Meanwhile, her intended victims had untangled themselves from the ground, and had gathered enough sense to scramble to their feet during the distraction.

Phoenix and Maya's counterparts charged down the hall. Living Phoenix pulled Maya along by her wrist, already sweating bullets. Skidding around the door frame with a growl, Morta gave chase, mere moments behind them.

She raised the gun to shoot again, but recognizing the eerie scene from the night before, Ghost Phoenix felt prepared this time. And so when Morta did fire, she was once again stopped by a paper dividing screen jumping in her path. He watched Maya and his living self run unharmed around the corner with a sigh of relief. Ghost Maya however didn't seem as pleased.

“No, no, no, we're going the wrong way!”

“What do you mean? I'm pretty sure any direction that keeps me alive is a good direction,” Phoenix said.

“Well yeah, but we should go to the lab, remember? That's where I have all those charged magatamas from Khura'in. We'll need them to get rid of the ghosts permanently.”

_(Oop, I was so focused on keeping myself alive I kinda forgot...)_

“Right, right, but ah, wait, how do you plan on using the magatamas like this?”

Maya frowned at that, “I can't, we'll have to get Past Maya to do it.”

“Oh...” Phoenix deflated a little, already spotting several problems with the plan, “Our past selves don't even know about the ghosts. And it'll be a challenge to communicate with them what to do.”

“Don't sell yourselves short, you are both quite bright, your past selves included,” Ami encouraged gently, “It can be done. Have faith.”

“Yeah, don't be a spoilsport, Nick!”

_(Alright, alright...)_

Their living counterparts were about to round another corner. Phoenix zipped through the lanterns along the corridor to beat them to it.

Living Phoenix and Maya skidded to a stop as another folding screen sprang open in front of them, blocking the hallway. Not wanting to wait, Living Phoenix yanked Maya in the opposite direction down the hallway. This trend continued as the two ran, doors suddenly opened and closed randomly on them for no apparent reason. Until a door leading to the street outside opened, and they had no choice but to follow it.

Ghost Phoenix nodded in approval, “Now to get them to the lab...”

Phoenix clung, unseen, onto Living Maya's magatama. With some effort, he gave it a hard tug before zipping off again.

Maya stopped in her tracks at the sensation, pulling back on Living Phoenix's hand. She looked down at the magatama, and then confusedly up at the direction it had pulled her in.

Phoenix frowned back at her, “What is it?”

Before Maya could answer, they both noticed the lights going ballistic in the lab just down the street. The wall of windows flickered as the lights were flipped on and off repeatedly.

Maya looked uncertain, but turned to pull Phoenix towards the lab, “C'mon.”

“We're going _towards_ that?” Phoenix asked incredulously.

“I have a funny feeling!” was all Maya offered.

Phoenix didn't seem sated with that answer, but he allowed himself to be pulled along anyway.

Meanwhile, Morta finally made it out of the mansion despite Ghost Maya's meddling slowing her down. When she saw her two intended victims running down the dark street, she let out a snarl. As she moved to take aim once again, one of the pillars on the porch rather suddenly and mysteriously shrank about a foot and a half. The suddenly lack of support on the old building caused a chunk of the thatch roof to collapse right on top of her.

Maya snickered as she fled from the grumbling Morta under the rubble, making a break for the lab herself.

Her place was quickly taken up by two more ghosts, who had noticed the racket and now watched Morta struggle with confusion.

“What happened?” Nona asked.

“Burn...?” Decima vaguely murmured.

Morta burst out of the pile, Marigold's hair in tangles and now full of thatch and splinters. She seethed through clenched teeth, almost too furious to speak. Instead she jammed her finger towards the lab, “ _Just. Get. Them. Now!_ ”

…

Inside the lab, Living Maya had taken to barricading the door while Phoenix busied himself calling the police on his cell phone.

“I knew those new cell towers would come in handy,” Maya said smugly.

“You did great Maya, but those doors won't be able to hold those ghosts off,” Phoenix reminded her.

Maya pouted, “Oh, yeah...”

Looking around, Phoenix could see the box of magatamas on the high shelf, still glowing red, “Now seems like our chance.”

_(Need to get the Living Maya's attention...)_

After zipping around to various artifacts and much jumping and thumping and wriggling, he was unsuccessful.

“Oh, let me try!” Maya said eagerly.

The very shelves the box had been resting on suddenly shrank in size with a great screech of twisting metal, startling everyone.

“Well, that was one way to do it...” Phoenix sighed.

“Hey, at least I don't have to worry about climbing up this time!” Maya said brightly.

However the Living were still very confused. Maya poked around the shelf and Phoenix simply stared at it mistrustfully. Neither made any move towards the box.

_(Oh, for Pete's sake...)_

Phoenix jumped over to a desk lamp on the nearby table. Under his influence the head lolled over, and turned on, shining its beam directly onto the box of magatamas.

Living Maya jumped at the sudden light, but did follow its beam, peering into the box.

“What is it?” Living Phoenix asked.

Maya picked up one of the magatamas from within, “It's a box of Magatamas of Parting shipped over from Khura'in for study. But why did...?”

She never finished as the smell of smoke, followed shortly by actual smoke billowing from under the door, became alarmingly clear.

“Oh dear, that's rather exciting, isn't it?” Ami asked pensively.

“They're trying to smoke us out,” Phoenix frowned.

“Ha!” Maya barked a laugh, “Good luck with that, you old stiff!”

“What do you mean?”

Living Maya had grabbed Phoenix's arm, pulling him closer, “Don't worry,” she told him, “Armie and me got a sprinkler system set up in here to help protect all the old valuables.”

“What she said!” Ghost Maya chirped, “Unlike the rest of the village, this place shouldn't burn as easily.”

“ _A sprinkler system?_ ” Phoenix's eyes widened, “That's it!”

Phoenix started to move. Maya cried out, startled by his sudden excitement, “Hey, where are you going now?”

Phoenix swiveled the lamp around to the window. After undoing the window latch and opening it, the flames surrounding the building from outside licked at the sill. He moved to the small desk fan, turning it on as high as it could go. As the fan made a pass by the thin flowing white curtains, the material caught a spark of fire from outside easily.

Maya yelped, “ _Nick_! Are you trying to fry us faster?”

_(Uh, kinda?)_

“Just watch, okay?”

Their living counterparts scrambled to put out the fire, but it was too late. Decima had slunk through the fire's path from the outside, making the fire roar with new intensity. Living Phoenix tried to shield his and Maya's faces from the blast with his sleeve.

“C'mon...” Ghost Phoenix watched the sprinklers anxiously. His gaze darted between them and the trail of flames that rose up and up and up the curtain...

“ _Just a bit more_...”

The flames barely started to lick the ceiling, black smoke started to accumulate. Then here was a sudden wailing beep from the smoke detector and the sprinklers finally hissed to life.

Just as before, the effect on the ghost was immediate and violent. She let out a terrible wail, as if being doused in acid instead of ordinary water.

The flames died down quickly under the water, but Decima remained as a stubborn but weak spot of fire on the desk. She simply sputtered and shook in place, unable to do anything surrounded by water. Living Phoenix and Maya watched the crying fire in bewilderment.

“What on earth-?!” Phoenix started.

Maya looked just as confused, but slowly she looked down at her hand where she still held the Magatama of Parting. Her eyes widened as she looked back to the twitching fire.

Suddenly she knew what she needed to do.

“Maya!” Phoenix called out as Maya ran towards the fire. Before Phoenix nor even Decima could even react, Maya held the magatama out, letting the strange stone just barely touch the flames.

As she stared to quietly utter the prayer, Decima reacted almost as strongly as she had to the water. This time though, instead of acting like she was being flooded, she looked more like some kind of small vortex of wind was trying to blow her out. Her flames flickered and dimmed, threatening to go out. But her tendrils of fire still gripped onto the table, resisting the spiritual influence of the magatama. It was like she was not only holding on to the table, but to the mortal world in general.

Still, the power of the magatama was undeniable and unshakable.

And so little by little as Maya continued the prayer, more and more of Decima was blown away until nothing was left.

With one final faint cry and a fleck of an dying ember, the ghost was put to rest.

As Maya finished the prayer with a final bow, the sprinklers finally shut off. The lab was startling quiet. Phoenix watched, speechless and partially soaked.

“Wha- what was that?” Phoenix asked, breathless. Maya looked down at the magatama in her hand, now a dull brownish color after having its spiritual power drained. Before she could answer, there was a heavy crash as another ghost burst through the door, knocking aside the handful of boxes barricading it.

Nona hovered in midair, the flames on her form flickered with agitation as she looked around. Seething, she turned from Maya to Phoenix and then around the lab.

“Where did...? The fire...what did you-?”

It was then she finally noticed the singed table, and the spent magatama in Maya's hand. “Is that...?! You! You couldn't have...”

Living Phoenix pulled Maya protectively behind him as the ghost riled with rage, blue flames almost turning white with intensity. She crackled and fizzed like the sparks of a lit fuse.

“ _You'll pay for what you've done to my sister!_ ”

One long tendril of fire lashed out to grab an ornamental staff displayed on the wall. Nona gave it a wide strong swing, but Phoenix managed to just catch it in his palms. He gripped it tight, and refused to let go. The ghost gave a frustrated yowl as she jerked the staff around, trying to shake Phoenix off.

“One down, two to go,” Ghost Phoenix said to himself as he watched his living self wrassle against the spirit.

“What's the plan for getting rid of this one?” Maya asked.

Phoenix pondered for a moment, thinking back to their encounter with Trucy in the WAA, “Hmm, ah, Kurain doesn't happen to have a vacuum does it?”

“It's on the wish list,” Maya said sheepishly.

_(Drat.)_

“We need a container, something to hold her spirit in...”

Nona had beaten Living Phoenix down, almost lifting him off his feet and sending him stumbling back several feet into a pedestal. This pedestal just so happened to be the resting place of a certain urn, which wobbled dangerously when Phoenix knocked against it.

Ghost Phoenix blinked.

“Or that...could work too?”

Nona pinned Living Phoenix down with the staff while another tendril had grabbed hold of his tie, choking him. Meanwhile, Ghost Phoenix slipped into the core of the urn just above them. It almost felt like destiny, looking down on them like that.

_(But I guess destiny needs a little push now and then.)_

And so he did just that.

The sacred urn hopped off the pedestal to fall towards Nona. Unfortunately, Nona had noticed the urn and narrowly managed to dodge it.

“Ha, you thought-!” Nona froze mid taunt, brow furrowed in confusion, now looking at Ghost Phoenix. “W-wait...” she looked back and forth from the spirit to the identical man struggling beneath her. Phoenix chuckled weakly, rubbing the back of his neck.

She stared at him dumbly, “How did you-?”

She was cut off as the sacred urn was swiftly brought down on her fiery form. Living Maya kept a tight grip on the urn, gritting her teeth in the efforts as Nona immediately tried to buck her off.

“Got 'er!”

The spirit gave an enraged screech from inside the urn. Caught like a bug under a glass, the ancient pottery jerked around in Maya's arms as Nona rammed herself against the sides trying to escape. Maya managed to hang on, but Phoenix could see the spirit's blue glow show through the old cracks of the urn as it started to give way under the strain.

“No!”

Phoenix grabbed hold of the urn again. His own spirit's resilience immediately had an effect on the urn, giving it more support to survive the onslaught. At least it managed to stay in one piece long enough for Maya to pull out another magatama and start reciting the Prayer of Parting once again, holding the magatama against the urn.

It was then an unexpected flaw in the impromptu plan became apparent. Being so close to the magatama, Phoenix could feel it start to have an effect on him. It was like the swirling reddish vortex they saw in the liminal space of the ghost world was drawing him deeper into its spiral. It was becoming harder and harder for him to keep his grip on the urn's core the longer Maya spoke. Nona did not seem to be faring any better. Her thrashing became more frenzied but weaker as her spirit was pushed out of the material world.

“Nick! _Get out of there!_ ”

Phoenix perked at Maya's voice. Just as he felt himself beginning to fall away, he leapt aside to another artifact. As he did, the urn almost immediately shattered into a dozen pieces as Nona broke through. But it was too late for her, as Maya finished the prayer. With a final cry and a flash of white light, the spirit was sent back into the twilight realm.

Maya immediately scurried over to Phoenix's core, teary eyed, “Nick! Nick! Are you-”

“'m okay!...I'm okay...” Phoenix reassured her breathlessly. He looked over the scattered pieces of the urn and bedraggled living counterparts in a daze.

Ami gave a relieved sigh of her own, face darkened by shadow, “Goodness...”

Living Phoenix slowly sat up, rubbing at his neck. His distressed tie still hung haphazardly. “Again...what in the world was that?!”

Living Maya picked herself up, looking down at the remains of the sacred urn, “I...I think it was a ghost. Two of them atleast...maybe more...”

“ _What?_ ”

Maya ignored Phoenix's surprised yelp, instead looking around the lab. Her eyes lingered on the artifacts their ghostly counterparts happened to be possessing, but she said nothing.

Pocketing the used magatama, she stood and helped Phoenix to his feet. The fire outside had mostly completely subsided, and although the urn was broken, all seemed peaceful once again.

Of course this had only lasted a sold fifteen seconds when there was furious knocking on the lab door.

Phoenix grabbed Maya's hand, tugging it, “Let's get out of here. Through the window...”

“Wait, Nick...”

Phoenix stopped, startled, and stared at Maya. The Master glared down at the rattling door, shoulders square. With a firm pout she reached within the box, bringing out a new magatama, glowing bright with spiritual charge.

She turned toward the door again, “I think I understand now.”

“Maya?” Phoenix blinked.

“Nick,” Maya turned to him, gray eyes steely, “Do you trust me?”

Phoenix's face clouded with a serious look of his own, but he answered with ease, “Of course.”

Maya nodded. With a brief small, grateful smile, she faced the door once again, “Okay. Than please, I need you to open that door. And then, ah, probably stand back?”

Phoenix gulped, looking towards the door as the banging outside grew louder and more frantic. However, he conceded, “You're the boss.”

Phoenix approached the door, moving aside a couple of the boxes blocking it. After looking to Maya for her readying nod, he opened it.

He barely managed to skim his way around to avoid being completely knocked aside as the lab doors immediately swung open.

Morta stood silhouetted in the doorway on the other side, heaving in Marigold's body. She slowly entered, slamming the door shut after her.

Her hair was more wild than ever, and the gun was still at her side, but otherwise Morta looked as deathly steady and lucid as ever. Maya watched as the spirit started to circle around her, clenching the magatama tighter in her hand.

Ghost Phoenix started to move towards them, slipping along another core.

“Where are you going, my child?” Ami asked.

“To help Maya, where else?”

“You will do no such thing!”

Phoenix yelped as a decorative staff suddenly manifested in the spirit world in Ami's hand, and she promptly bopped him on the head with it. While it wasn't painful, it was surprising, and effective at stopping Phoenix in his tracks.

He patted his spikes down in confusion, “Hey! Why not?”

Ami lowered her staff, and her hood fell over her face forebearingly as she looked down on the scene once again, “If you trust Mystic Maya as much as your living self does, then have faith. We have given them a second chance. In my experience, that is all most people need.”

Ghost Maya looked on, speechless.

However, in the land of the living, Maya glared hard at 'Marigold'. Now that she was properly looking, she could almost see the fiery blue sheen that flickered in the eyes of the acolyte before her. She frowned.

“You aren't the real Marigold, are you?”

Morta snorted in spite of herself, “For being dull as a sack of dirt, you certainly have your moments, don't you?”

“...”

“...Fine.” Morta rolled her eyes, “Congratulations, you figured me out. Now, let me ask you a question. Where are my sisters?”

“The same place you'll be going, so don't worry too much about it.”

“The same place? You mean...?” Surprisingly the realization seemed to actually throw Morta off, she started to sweat bullets. Her eyes darted around the lab, as if looking for the other spirits, or anything that could prove Maya was wrong. Her grip on the gun twitched.

“How...How _dare_ you! You insolent...feckless... _obnoxious_...!”

“I will dare.”

The spirit flinched as Maya snapped. Despite her small stature, Maya almost seemed to tower over her. “I am the Master of the Kurain School of Channeling. You will leave me, my village, my friend, and my acolyte alone now, or else I will use force to make you.”

Morta stilled, briefly stunned. But she recovered quickly to resume circling around Maya.

“Foolish...Kurain Village has always truly belonged to the spirits. I say _you_ are the one that must leave. This place has been my home longer than yours.”

Maya didn't even blink, meeting the spirit's predatory gaze, “You're wrong. Kurain has always been about harmony and respect between both the living and the dead, and sharing that with whoever wished to learn more. Atleast...that's what I've always thought of it. And I believe this is what my ancestors also wished. If you cannot understand this, then you were never truly at home here. And there is no place here for you now.”

This was apparently the final straw for Morta. Marigold's eyes flashed, and she all but roared, “I WILL _NOT_ BE LECTURED BY A HERETIC BRAT!”

It took all of Phoenix's will power to not throw himself forward and help Maya. His living self apparently had the same thought, peeking around the door at the sound of Morta's roar. However, Maya appeared almost unfazed, taking a small step back at the sight of Morta's unhinged appearance.

Suddenly, Morta raised the gun at Maya, breathing hard through her clenched teeth.

The two locked eyes.

In an instant the chaotic murderous look in Morta's eye changed to something...startlingly confident.

“Very well...”

She raised the gun away from Maya, and instead pressed it right underneath Marigold's jaw.

_(!!!)_

“Leave Kurain Village, Mystic Maya, or else your acolyte will pay the price.”

“NO!” Ghost Maya cried, mimicking the same distressed sentiment written all over Living Maya's horrified face.

There was a tense moment where everyone could only stare, collective minds reeling at what to do. They were all paralyzed by fear of making the wrong move to disastrous consequences.

“Gck...”

They all jumped at the small unexpected noise. It had come from Morta. Marigold's face had suddenly fallen, changing from stern to a startlingly blank wide-eyed stare. She gave a heavy blink, as if warding off a thick veil. At once, she doubly over, grimacing as her entire body shook with tremors. The gun however remained pressed against her jaw.

Her words came out as a pained grunt from between her clenched teeth.

“ _GET._

_OUT._

_OF._

_ME._ ”

Maya's eyes widened, “Marigold!”

The acolytes hand shook as she apparently wrestled for control. After a great deal of effort she did manage to jerk the gun away from herself. It wasn't a second too soon either, as her trembling finger accidentally sent a bullet up through the ceiling.

_(I'll say that's my cue.)_

Possessing a desk lamp on the table nearby, Phoenix swiveled it around. With the swing he smacked the gun out of Marigold's grip. It flipped once in the air and clattered to the floor.

Living Phoenix took over then. He leapt for the gun, moving to get it away from Morta.

Marigold snapped her head to watch his sudden movement, her eyes flared blue once more. She pounced on him in an instant, landing on his back, clawing to get over him for the gun again. Phoenix tried to push her away, and the two wrestled on the ground for control.

“We have to help him, er, me!” Ghost Phoenix shouted.

“We need to be careful. We don't want to hurt Marigold,” Maya frowned.

“I know...We just need a way to restrain her long enough...pin her down while the other you uses the magatama on the ghost...”

Looking around the lab for inspiration, Phoenix was drawn to several model airplanes that the late Archie Buff as well as his daughter Armie had strung up to the ceiling above their old work area. At the moment though, there was a gold colored model that dangled right above where the two fought on the ground.

_(It'll have to do.)_

Phoenix swing around the lamp to get close enough to possess a scroll on the wall. Rolling the scroll up, he was able to reach over to a statue standing against the wall. He tried to reach for the curtains next, but his stretch wasn't quite long enough.

“Need a lift?” Maya asked, smirking.

Before Phoenix could do anything the statue started to expand, growing taller until the curtains were in range.

Phoenix squeaked at the sudden quick change, “Yipe, uh, thanks!”

Sliding the curtain over to get closer to the bookcase next, Phoenix and Maya jumped aboard the rolling ladder leaning there. After sliding that along the bookcase, they were finally close to the airplanes. Phoenix scurried up the rungs of the ladder. After staring hard, thinking about how they were going to get close enough to grab onto the model, he settled to knocking the ladder off it's wheels. With the sounds of the fight below urging him on, he gave the ladder a couple big shoves.

The ladder rocked away from the bookcase, hitting the airplane in the air on its way down. Phoenix and Maya latched on to it just barely.

The force knocked the model loose from one of its tethers, snapping it with a ' _twang_ '. While Phoenix felt quite sick from the dizzying height, Maya tried unsuccessfully to bounce and jerk the model free.

“M-m-m-Maya! W-watch it!”

She didn't seem to hear him, looking at the model thoughtfully, “Oh wait, maybe this'll...”

The model began to grow in size, expanding until the weight snapped the remaining tether and sent them crashing towards the ground.

Living Maya was thankfully close enough to yank Living Phoenix out of harm's way by the scruff of his collar, however Morta was not so lucky. The plane crashed into her back, winding her and knocking her to the ground. After laying there stunned for a moment, she slowly started to stir, moving the plane off.

“Oh no you don't!” Ghost Maya pouted.

The plane suddenly grew again until it was more than twice Marigold's size. Morta collapsed under the weight, uselessly bellowing out and clawing the ground in anguish.

She was only silenced as she felt Living Maya press the magatama against her forehead, eyes wide as her prayer sent the spirit into the swirling void beyond. The light of the magatama grew brighter and brighter in Maya's hand until at once it went out with a blast of spiritual energy, knocking them all back.

The lights went out, leaving them in darkness.

_(Did...did we do it? Is she gone?...)_

Gently, he could feel himself being pulled away from the scene, with Maya beside him. He was afraid at first, but found himself giving in to the sensation. It felt much less violent and peaceful than what he had felt under the Magatama of Parting. He trusted it.

He began to get a heavy leaden feeling all over, as if unbearably tired. He couldn't help but close his eyes and start to drift off.

The last thing he heard was Ami's soft voice drifting over them.

“ _Well done._ ”

...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks as always to radstarmuffin for beta reading
> 
> last chapter should come out within a week!


	9. Fate Updated: The Great Revival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “One more dance along the razor's edge finished. Almost dead yesterday, maybe dead tomorrow, but alive, gloriously alive, today.” -Robert Jordan

It was like coming up for air after staying so long at the bottom of the ocean.

He didn’t know why he was under, swimming in the darkness, or for how long, just that suddenly he was rushing towards...

_something._

And then

he was

here.

“Nick!”

_But where was here?_

“Niiiiick!”

“ _Ughhhhh..._ ”

“Please! Wake up!”

“ _Ughhh-owowo_ WOWOW! Maya! Quit shaking me like that!”

Maya blinked in surprise as Phoenix shot up, clutching at his chest and wincing, gasping for air. Phoenix let out a wheeze, slightly doubling over himself and rubbing at the area over his heart.

“Ooof...must be from when the bullet hit my badge...”

“Nick! You're-”

“Huh?” Phoenix looked dazedly at Maya's tearful face. The next thing he knew, she had thrown herself at him, crushing him in her arms.

“You're alive!” she sniffed.

“I... _I am?_...I am!” Phoenix shook his head in an attempt to clear it. But indeed it was true. His body felt like it weighted a ton after his experience as a floating spirit. But they had done it! He was here, in one piece! Well, mostly. He had to flinch away as Maya pressed against the sore spot on his chest a little too hard. She backed away apologetically, wide eyed.

“Sorry! Were you hurt?”

“Yeah, from earlier,” Phoenix grunted, clutching the area again. The left side of his chest vaguely stung, it reminded him uncomfortably of the feeling of his battered body after falling off a certain bridge. His only consolation was that he wasn't bleeding, or worse. “Probably going to leave a bruise. Man, it feels like I got shot point blank with a hard hat...”

“That's...pretty specific,” Maya quirked her eyebrow.

“It's accurate, trust me,” he said dryly.

“Well,” Maya lightly brushed off his shoulders, and flicked at his loose coif of hair, as if trying to straighten him up, “Next time we'll be sure to hit you with something softer, deal?”

“ _Urg..._ ” Phoenix groaned.

_(Next time?)_

“Wait,” Phoenix stiffened, looking at Maya seriously, “Do you... _remember_?”

Maya sobered, brow furrowed in thought. Her hand raised to touch the crown of her head, as if subconsciously. “Kinda,” she said slowly, “It's like trying to remember a dream. It keeps trying to slip away. I...I definitely remember that I died. And you...”

Her eyes found his badge on his chest, glinting slightly in the dim lab. She lightly touched it with her finger.

“Maya?”

Her eyes suddenly overran with tears. With a loud sniff, she buried her head once again against his shoulder. Phoenix squeaked as she tightened her arms around him.

“I'm so glad you're alive...” she pressed her face deep into his shoulder, he could already feel her tears wetting his collar. “...Love you, little brother...”

“Oh, hah...” Phoenix couldn't help but smile at that, letting out the breath he had been holding. He wrapped his arms warmly around Maya, hugging her properly. “It's okay, everything's okay now...” he rested his cheek on top of her head, “I love you, too...”

Phoenix couldn't help but relish a little at the feeling of his heart beating against his ribs, the blood thrumming through his living body. He wouldn't be taking it for granted any time soon.

Maya snuggled deeper against him. It seemed she wouldn't either.

They both jumped however when there was a weary groan from within the dim lab.

They both scrambled to their feet. Maya went to go find a light switch. Both of their eyes were drawn to the shifting form pinned underneath the model airplane.

“Uhhhggg...M-mystic Maya?”

“Goldie!”

Phoenix hurried to help lift the plane off of Marigold, while Maya helped pull her out. The acolyte stood shakily, rubbing her back and looking thoroughly like she had been sent tumbling down a rocky hill, but otherwise seemed unharmed.

Marigold rubbed at her temple, “Mystic Maya, a-are you okay? Mr. Wright...?”

“We're fine now, Marigold,” Maya reassured her with a small smile, “Are _you_ okay though?”

“I'm...I'm...” Marigold looked down at her own hands, trembling slightly. All at once she burst into tears, bowing her head, “ _I'm so sorry!_ ”

“Huh?”

Marigold buried her face in her hands, “I only wanted to help...I didn't mean to let myself be _used_ like that...I'm so weak...I couldn't do anything...and I almost...I almost...Oh!” she finally noticed the state of the lab. Her eyes drifted over the crashed model, the ladder laying on the floor, the disturbed artifacts, and then finally the large pieces of the shattered urn still on the floor.

Marigold seemed to fold in on herself like a wilting flower, “The sacred urn...was that... because of me as well?”

“No! No!” Phoenix piped up, holding out his hands, “You didn't-”

Marigold didn't seem ready to believe him. She shook her head, tangles of orange hair swaying with the motion, “Maybe I'm not meant to be here...You should send me away, Mystic Maya. Away from Kurain Village.”

The acolyte bowed her head with her eyes pinched shut as if waiting for a painful verdict. Instead however she received a gentle hand on her shoulder. She still jerked at the touch, head snapping up to meet Maya's eyes.

“I will do no such thing.”

Marigold blinked, “Mystic Maya?”

Maya shook her head, “It's okay. I know. You tried to tell me about Mr. Shun and Aoi, but I didn't listen. And then you were turned into a victim, acting against your will, by people who were trying to get to me. There is nothing to forgive.”

“But I...”

“You deserve to be here, just as much as everyone else,” Maya said firmly, “Regardless of any mistakes that might have been made, the best any of us can do is learn from those mistakes and leave the past in the past.”

Marigold's eyes shimmered, shining with tears. All at once she fell forward, burying her wet face into Maya's welcoming shoulder, “Thank you!...Thank you so much...”

Maya beamed, returning the embrace gratefully. Suddenly though one of her arms snuck out to grab Phoenix by his lapel to drag him into the hug puddle. Phoenix rolled his eyes but grinned in spite of himself. He wrapped his arms around the two girls, patting them on the backs.

The village lay quiet and still all around them.

He let out a sigh, “It's over.”

…

There was a soft jiggle of the door handle, followed by a tentative knock. Trucy looked up from her seat on the living room couch, yawning, “Who would that be this late at night?”

She padded to the door. As soon as she opened it, she was immediately swept up off her feet in a bear hug. She hung on to the familiar blue-clad shoulders tightly, squealing in surprise as she was spun in a small circle.

“Da _aaad_! You're gonna throw your back out again!”

Phoenix only clutched her closer, burying his face in her hair. “Worth it,” he mumbled.

Trucy giggled but relented to return her father's tight hug, wrapping her arms around his neck. Phoenix melted at the contact. He still couldn't believe how close he had come to losing it.

“I missed getting to do this,” he admitted lowly into her brown locks.

Trucy pulled back in his arms, looking at him curiously, “You gave me a hug before you left earlier, silly!”

“O-oh, yeah,” Phoenix faltered as she rolled her eyes, “That's right, I just, um...”

“Don't mind him, Truce. Nick's old man brain is just _super_ sappy and forgetful.”

“Maya!”

Phoenix finally set Trucy down on her feet to let her hug Maya. His back and tender chest had indeed started to protest anyway.

“Heh heh, hey kid. Did we wake you?” Maya greeted.

“No, I just got back a while ago. But,” Trucy stood back, tapping her cheek in thought, “I thought Daddy was visiting you for the weekend. Did something happen?”

Phoenix and Maya shared a furtive glance. They hadn't really prepared their story just yet. _(Was it even a story to actually tell?)_

Luckily they were both good at thinking on their feet.

“Eh, some stuff came up,” Maya said nonchalantly.

“But everything's okay now,” Phoenix nodded, reassuringly.

Trucy still frowned, looking at them hard, with their little tells and small secretive smiles just begging for questions. Before she could ask them however, Maya threw her arms around the younger girls shoulders, “I thought I would crash with you guys instead before going back to Kurain in the morning. What do ya say?”

Trucy beamed, placated for the time being, but Phoenix was sure she would bug him about what happened later, “Of course!”

“Great!” Phoenix let out a small relieved breath. “Maybe we could all go out somewhere then?” he suggested, “My treat.”

His smile fell at the deafening silence that followed. He frowned at the wide-eyed stares the girls gave him; it was as if he had just grown another head.

_(Huh? What did I say?)_

“Uh, Nick are you feeling okay? Do you have a fever? Or maybe you hit your head?” Maya asked, squinting at him skeptically.

Phoenix's shoulders fell, “What? I just offered to buy you food! It's not unusual!”

“Yeah, but, I usually have to twist your arm first. You've never offered...” Maya tapped her cheek.

He softened, throwing his arms around the girls, “Well, I guess I must kinda like you two then.”

“Aww, Niiiick, you big softie,” Maya flashed him a watery smile. “...But seriously though, how many fingers am I holding up?”

“Maya, don't question it!” Trucy hoarse whispered, grabbing her outstretched hand out of Phoenix's face, “Let's just go before he comes to his senses!”

Maya snapped her fingers, “I like the way you think, Truce.”

Phoenix chuckled watching the two scramble for the door. He could hear them debating late night food joints as they walked down the hall.

Phoenix took one last look around the apartment, dry and intact, and let out a content sigh. As he fished in his pocket for his keys, he came across the cell phone in his pocket.

It reminded him of at least one other person he was most grateful for after everything that had happened the last 24 hours...

...

Across the city, Miles Edgeworth stared out onto the dark skyline from his office window. A nearly forgotten cup of tepid tea in his hand, he seemed to find the weight more comforting than the drink at the moment.

He couldn't remember falling asleep at his desk, yet he found himself waking there just a couple hours ago. Well, at least 'waking up' was the best way he could think to describe it.

_He had had the most disturbing dream..._

His brow crinkled as he thought about it, still not over it even hours later.

He absentmindedly started to bring his tea to his mouth for a sip and nearly upended the cup when his cell phone suddenly started to ring loudly against his desk.

His surprise didn't fade when he saw the caller i.d.. _It reminded him of..._

He shook his head at the thought, banishing the nonsensical implications his dream had planted there, and answered the phone on the third ring.

“Wright?”

“Edgeworth, hey? You alright?”

While hearing Phoenix's voice was strangely reassuring, Edgeworth nearly choked at the question, shakily putting his cup down. “Y-yes, I'm... ho-how are you?...”

Phoenix sniffed a small laugh, “Had a bit of a weird night. Thought I might check in...”

“I see...” Edgeworth cleared his throat, still dazed.

He became distracted as a certain spiky pawn caught his attention from across his desk. He sighed.

“I've had a bit of an odd night myself...” Edgeworth said slowly, swiveling his chair back around and rubbing a hand down his face.

Phoenix perked at that, “Oh?”

“It's nothing...just a...very _vivid_ daydream it would seem...”

Phoenix slowly grinned across the line, realization dawning. His words sounded careful when he spoke, “Sounds rough if it got _you_ shaken up.”

Edgeworth just ran his thumb compulsively over his mahogany arm rest.

“Tell you what,” Phoenix said gently, “I'm taking the girls out for food. Why don't you meet up with us and you can tell me all about this dream?”

“...That sounds nice, yes,” the prosecutor admitted quietly.

“I'll text you in a bit then.”

After bidding each other goodbye, Edgeworth sat for a moment, phone in his hand. He felt a bit lighter than he had before, though still vaguely unsettled.

After releasing the breath he had been holding, he left his discarded cup next to his unfinished paperwork and grabbed his coat to leave.

His fingers brushed against the pawn gently on his way out.

Phoenix pocketed his own phone and went to leave himself. As he looked down to lock the door, his eyes caught on the golden glint of his badge on his lapel.

He thumbed at it fondly, before turning to follow the sound of his girl's laughter.

 

….....

The afternoon sun beat down warmly on Kurain Village, and the gardens all seemed to rise to meet it.

A large purple butterfly glided among the fresh spring flowers. Its wings almost disappeared against the bright blooms.

Marigold let out a little gasp when she noticed it nearly land in her own brightly colored hair. It circled around her head, as if admiring the handful of flowers braided in her hair, before fluttering off again.

Marigold paused to watch it go, tucking a loose wavy lock behind her ear, and then bent down to continue her work again.

The gardens burst with color and new blooms of lavender and mint and sage. Green and growing.

“I should send a bouquet or two to Mr. Wright,” she thought to herself. “I bet he would like getting flowers. It's the least I can do.”

Tossing a weed aside, she picked up the watering can again, “I should definitely send one to Mystic Maya though. After all she's done to help me after what happened...”

She tapped her chin as she watered the basil, “Hmm, what flowers were it again that symbolized gratitude? Oh, no matter. She's so nice, she'll probably like whatever I send, as long as it's pretty. Or maybe she would like something edible better.”

She chuckled to herself, the sound as warm and light as the breeze surrounding her.

...

Loki Shun pouted to himself, deep in thought and mumbling as he fiddled with his bow tie (today's was a poisonous shade of chartreuse).

“Rotten ghosts. String me along only to leave me high and dry,” he kicked at a clot of dirt with his polished shoe before frowning at the welcoming sign at the entrance to Kurain Village.

“Guess that little Miss Fey won't have anything to do with me anymore,” he sighed. “I say, so much trouble over such an old patch of dirt...Hmm. Maybe I can still talk that Mr. Wright into making a deal to make this little adventure worth my while.”

Shun fluffed his bow tie happily at the thought, his wallet already feeling heavier in his tweed pocket. Suddenly though, Shun's smirking face dropped to pallor horror.

“ _Wait_...that Mr. Wright...d-d-didn't that Miss Fey...m-m-mention h-he was a lawyer? L-l-li-like a courtroom, with a judge, sue-you-for-money k-k-ki-kind of l-lawyer?

...heh…

heh…”

With that Loki Shun turned on his heel to break into a run towards his garish RV, “Weee _eeelllll_ you know what they say, familiarity breeds contempt, I certainlywouldn'twanttooverstaymywelcome! _Ta ta for now, Kurain Village!_ ”

He didn't even pause to retrieve his straw skimmer hat as it blew off his head. The yellow camper started with a loud sputter and kicked up a large cloud of dust as it quickly pulled away, disappearing down the mountain lane never to return.

…

Athena kept traveling, searching, exploring, one day determined to get her own adventure.

...

“Eh, what do you think you're doin' there?” Gumshoe stopped midstep, frowning at the peculiar undulating motions Meekins was making. The officer didn't stop though, continuing as though dance breaks were a normal occurrence in the middle of the station.

“I learned this from another precinct, sir! It's called 'Dance Away The Pain'!” Meekins said loudly.

Gumshoe's brow quirked, “Does it work? Do you really dance away the pain?”

Meekins waved his arms, continuing the dance, using care not to lose concentration, “Yes, sir! I've never felt so carefree! It just melts the stress away, sir! Just see for yourself, sir!”

Gumshoe gave the officer another skeptical look as he shimmied about, but in the end he just shrugged. “Eh, it's no Badger Dance, but what do I know?”

Ema and Blackquill came in moments later. They took one look up from their case files at the pair of dancing policemen, and promptly turned on their heels to leave, wordlessly and soundly agreeing that whatever it was they were not paid enough to deal with it.

…

“Being dead wasn't nearly as awful as everyone acted like,” Aoi thought. She really didn't know what all the fuss was about.

Marigold brought her books to read. And Mystic Maya allowed her to continue her work reading through the old manuscripts and scrolls that were brought to the lab.

She had no need for food for sleep, or any of those other pesky living habits to disturb her. Honestly, she had never felt better.

If only she could figure out how to hold a pen to actually write her notes down...

...

One might think death would be boring, and maybe they were at least partially right, but Ami honestly couldn't find anything to complain about. She had company in the form of Aoi now, and loving descendants who would ensure her safety for years to come.

She smiled fondly as Maya gave the urn a small pat, straightening it on its pedestal. Her fingers brushed over the superglue filled cracks with care. With a satisfied nod and one last wipe with her dusting cloth so the urn shined, Maya trotted off whistling.

“Such a curious one,” Ami chuckled to herself. “So strong to have made it through so much, yet still so unsure of herself. She is lucky to have friends to support her, so she may continue to rise again and again. How fitting her friend's name is Phoenix.”

Yes, Ami might spend the rest of her days sitting about and watching the world pass by as an urn. But it was also true that it suited her just fine to watch... watch the strange and beautiful patterns of their lives unfold.

Lucky for them both, she had plenty to watch for quite a while.

…

The village had long since gone to bed. Nothing stirred in the lab, not even spirits, until two dark forms came up the path outside. The door suddenly opened, letting in a beam of light. The smaller of the forms entered, beckoning behind her.

“It's just in here,” Maya called, “C'mon in Mr.-?”

“It's Jowd, ma'am. Detective Jowd,” the large bearded man smiled benignly as he followed behind her.

“Oh, detective, huh?” Maya smirked, turning to look up at him, “Probably could have guessed from that coat.”

The detective chuckled as he patted down his old green trench coat and straightened his red tie. “I'm from the department that sent you the package.”

“It's not too often we have police interested in, well, what we do here,” Maya said, “I'm surprised you even found us.”

“We noticed your village's efforts in collecting spiritual items and thought it might interest you.”

“It was definitely interesting alright,” Maya said sheepishly, wincing as she looked away.

“You'll have to forgive us for the secrecy,” Jowd said lowly, orange beard twitching as his mouth moved, “We were looking for a more secure place to store it. You'd be surprised the kind of people we caught trying to steal that thing. Your remote village seemed like a safer place to keep it, in any case. I hope it didn't cause you too much trouble.”

“Actually, that was why I contacted you,” Maya said seriously, “I don't think it's safe to keep the meteorite here, as much as I want to.”

“Ah, no worries, Ms. Fey,” Jowd shrugged his broad shoulders, understanding, “It was just a temporary idea after all. If you're sure, I don't mind taking it back to my own friend at our lab.”

“I appreciate it!” Maya bowed, popping back up with a bounce. “It's right over here.”

She led the detective past the stacked shelves over to the work desk where a large mound of parchment paper lay. As Jowd carefully pealed back the paper however, he revealed the faintly glowing Temsik meteorite inside.

He nodded, “Very good...”

He lay a hand on the rock, the blue shine of it reflected bright in his eyes in the darkness. Instead of taking the rock however, he turned seriously to Maya.

“Ms. Fey, not that I don't trust you, but do you mind if I let my associate examine the meteorite? I want to be positive it's the real deal. Like I said, you'd be surprised how many people have tried to steal it.”

“Oh, sure! Go ahead.” Maya stepped back.

Jowd reached into one of his deep trench coat pockets then, rummaging around. Maya expected him to pull out a phone or maybe a camera.

What she did not expect to be in his hands however was a small black kitten.

“Oh!” Maya gasped as the cat blinked its large lamp-like yellow eyes at her before leaping from Jowd's large hands onto the table. It shook itself, straightening its sleek fur and the bright red scarf tied around its neck. It seemed quite disgruntled after being smooshed in Jowd's pocket.

Maya watched breathless and a little confused as the cat padded over to the meteorite. It sat, staring as if examining the rock for a brief moment. But then, it suddenly placed one paw on the rock, and turned to give Jowd one slow blink with its great slitted eyes.

Jowd's beard curled around his satisfied smile, “Well then, Ms. Fey, it looks like we're in business.”

“Uh, great?”

Maya still looked supremely confused as Jowd wrapped the meteorite back up and took it under his arm to leave.

“Thank you again, Ms. Fey. And sorry for all the trouble this thing caused.”

“Oh, it's okay,” Maya waved him off, “Things turned out okay in the end.”

“Well then, I'm glad,” Jowd smiled warmly as he bade her goodbye, leaving Maya alone in the lab.

Turning her head she realized however that the black cat was still there.

It stared at her widely. Its long whiskers gave a twitch.

“Uh... thank you too?” Maya said uncertainly.

The cat gave a little sniff before alighting from the desk and trotting after Jowd's wake. Maya stared after it bewilderingly.

_(What a **strange** cat!)_

Maya could've sworn she heard a small male voice retort ' _I heard that, Lady_ ' as the tip of the cat's soft crooked tail slipped out the door into the equally soft night.

 

THE END

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone that has read and commented on this story. I started watching a play through of ghost trick in february of 2018, so this story has been in the works for over a year. I can't believe I actually finished it, but mostly I can't believe how nice of a reception it got on here. I know stuff with casefics and ocs can be a bit hit or miss on here, and not everyone has played ghost trick so I didn't know what to expect. Views and stuff aren't really important, but it feels good when it seems like a bunch of people like your stuff, so thanks!!  
> idk if i'll be doing another full blown fic again, atleast for a while, but I do have a couple ideas. I do plan on finishing at least one more short story for this fandom i've been putting off while writing this. 
> 
> As always thank you to radstarmuffin for being an Ace Beta Reader. 
> 
> Here's the name meanings for the oc's I made if you're a nerd like me and like that kind of thing:  
> -Loki Shun: self explanatory pun, also has double meaning referring to his norse namesake and his tendency to shapeshift and generally be The Worst.  
> -Marigold: named after the flower which in several cultures like Mexico is meant to symbolize remembering and celebrating the dead, it also has ties to resurrection and despair and grief despite it's sunny coloring. I didn't realize the irony of naming the acolyte meant to kill Phoenix after a flower until a couple chapters in oop  
> -Aoi: named after a character from the classic japanese novel A Tale of Genji, she is Genji's first wife and ends up becoming possessed by the spirit of one of Genji's jealous mistresses and ends up dying from it  
> -Majora: self explanatory nerd reference to Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask  
> -Terasu: term from Noh theater masks for when the mask is angled up “to make a happy face”, but is also a proper japanese name. I wanted it to reference his 'sprite animation' of angling his mask at different angles to get different facial expressions  
> -Nona, Morta, Decima: named after the Parcae, the roman equivalent of the 3 Greek Fates. (With all the references to fate in the original Ghost Trick, it felt appropriate)
> 
> mood music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HNuTV0GaUk&index=19&list=RDSYcbNnFz378
> 
> Play Ghost Trick


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